352 JAS. J. SIMPSON—ENTOMOLOGICAL 
Sleeping Sickness. 
There can be little doubt that sleeping sickness is endemic in many parts of 
Northern Nigeria, but the actual delimitation of these areas is a very difficult 
matter. The occurrence of one or two cases in any village or town does not in itself 
justify the conclusion that that place is an endemic focus. For example, a case 
of sleeping sickness was discovered at Maiduguri, but after careful enquiry it 
was practically proved that the infection was obtained near Loko on the Benue. 
To regard Maiduguri, therefore, as a sleeping sickness area on this account 
would be erroneous and misleading. 
Apart from this, however, one Huropean died of sleeping sickness contracted 
either on the Garara River or in Bassa or Kabba Province, and cases have been 
recorded in persons who have never left their native district. Of course it is 
possible that the infection might have come from another locality, but in 
default of any definite information on this point we must regard these areas 
at any rate as suspected foci. These have been indicated on the appended map, 
and the following notes may serve to show how scanty our knowledge of this 
subject is, and also emphasise the necessity for an extended survey being organised 
to ascertain the precise distribution of the disease. When this is done it will in 
all probability be found that sleeping sickness exists in all the southern provinces 
and practically throughout the Niger-Benue river system. It has been reported 
from Sokoto and Katagum, but if cases did occur there it is probable 
that they were introduced. I have purposely excluded these from the map 
as the likelihood of these places being endemic foci is extremely remote. 
According to the Medical Report for 1906 four cases, all natives, were 
recorded in that year, and the following note is added :—“ Trypanosomiasis is 
fairly common in certain parts of the Protectorate. Most cases were found on 
the banks of the River Benue and in the Bassa Province.” 
In 1909 three cases were found in natives. “There is, however, considerable 
evidence to show that the disease is not uncommon on the Benue, but the portion 
of the Protectorate where it is said to occur has not yet been thoroughly 
examined, It is apparently confined to small areas and has never assumed the 
form of epidemics such as have occurred in East Africa.” 
Dr. J. W. S. Macfie who accompanied me during my trip in the Garara River 
district, says, “ As the result of the examination of 952 persons in twenty-seven 
villages on the Garara River no case of trypanosomiasis was discovered. 7*1 per 
cent. of the people were found to have a slight enlargement. of the cervical 
glands. From the statements of the headman at Izon, which is on the Nassarawa 
bank of the Garara, it would appear that sleeping sickness was once prevalent 
there but that it has completely disappeared in recent years. From the report 
of the Resident it would appear possible that sleeping sickness is not uncommon 
in Agaie but not in epidemi¢ form. One of the cases detected at Baro last 
September (1910) was a man from Agaie.” 
With regard to the outbreak in Baro referred to, in which five cases were 
found, Drs. Ingram, Morrison and Macfie say :—“ We are of opinion that the 
occurrence of trypanosomiasis is sporadic in Baro, There is, however, to judge 
from the prevalence of Glossina palpalis at this season of the year (August), no 
reason why it should not become epidemic.” It must be remembered, however, 
