316 



Hemarks on Mr. Plimmer' s Note on the Effects produced in Rats 

 by the Trypanosomata of Gambian Fever and Sleeping 

 Sickness. 



By H. Wolferstan Thomas, M.D., CM. (McGill) (J. H. Todd Memorial 

 Fellow in Tropical Medicine), Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, 

 Johnston Tropical Laboratory, University, Liverpool. 



(Communicated by Professor E. Boyce, F.B.S. Beceived April 8, — Bead May 11, 



1905.) 



Mr. Plimruer reports observations* on three rats inoculated with trypano- 

 somes from a monkey infected with the parasite of Uganda Sleeping Sickness 

 and on 14 rats infected with the trypanosoma of Gambian Fever. The three 

 rats inoculated with Uganda Sleeping Sickness never exhibited organisms in 

 their blood, but after six. to nine months developed paresis ending in death. 



Post-mortem,. — No macroscopic lesions of any organ were found. Examina- 

 tion of the blood gave negative results, as also did extracts of the organs, 

 except that of the spinal cord, in which a few trypanosomes were found. 

 Animals inoculated with some of this spinal cord extract did not show 

 parasites in their blood. The rats infected with the Gambian Fever trypano- 

 soma showed parasites in their blood and died. 



Mr. Plimmer concludes from these experiments that Gambian Fever and 

 Uganda Sleeping Sickness are distinct diseases. 



My colleague, Dr. Linton, and myself compared the animal reactions of the 

 trypanosomes derived from Uganda and Congo Free State Sleeping Sickness 

 cases, and Uganda and Congo Free State trypanosome fever cases, with those of 

 the parasites obtained by Drs. Dutton and Todd from three cases of natives 

 sufferino; from Gambian Fever. 



I have had the opportunity of using the same strain of Uganda Sleeping 

 Sickness parasite as Mr. Plimmer, and he has experimented with one of the 

 strains of trypanosomes from the Gambia Fever cases. 



I have been able to compare 10 strains derived from Congo Free State 

 Sleeping Sickness cases which were sent me by the members of our Congo 

 Free State Expedition. In addition I have had four strains of Congo Native 



* H. G. Plimmer, F.L.S., "Note on the Effect produced on Rats by the Trypanosomata 

 of Gambia Fever and Sleeping Sickness," communicated by Dr. C. J. Martin, F.R.S., 

 received December 1, 1904, read January 19, 1905. — 'Roy. Soc. Proc.,' No. 504, February 

 24, 1905, vol. 74, pp. 388—390. 



