378 



TRYPANOSOMIDM 



marrow showed large numbers of mononuclear cells with parasites. 

 The heart muscle showed cloudy swelling. No parasites are found 

 in the lungs. 



There is a growing suspicion that this is quite distinct from any human 

 disease, because — 



1 . Canine Leishmaniasis exists in places like Marseilles, where there is no 



Mediterranean kala-azar, and this disease exists in Palermo, where 

 Canine Leishmaniasis, according to Caronia and di Giorgio, is absent. 



2. Spagnolio says that in Bordonaro, in 1910, Basile found Canine Leish- 



maniasis in 70 per cent, of dogs examined. From 19 10 onwards 

 a number of dogs were destroyed, and in 191 4 a very large number 

 were killed because of threatened rabies. In 19 15 some seventeen 

 dogs were examined for Leishmania and found negative, and yet 

 the human endemic disease had not diminished. 



It is known to occur in Africa, Europe, and Asia, but not in America or 

 Oceania. 



The formation of a local sore on the cornea of a rabbit must be 

 remembered as indicating the possibility of a local disease like that 

 caused by L. tropica. 



Leishmania tropica Wright, 1903. 



Synonyms.' — Helcosoma tropicumWright, 1903; Crithidia cunning- 

 hami Carter, 1909; Sporozoon furunculosum Firth, 1891. 



History. — This parasite was described by Wright in a case of 

 Oriental sore, and later Martinowski and Bognoff found the same 

 parasites in Bouton d'Alep. It is believed by some that this para- 

 site was first described by Cunningham in 1885, and more completely 

 studied by Firth, who called it Sporozoon furunculosum Firth, 1891; 

 if this is so, the correct name of the parasite should be L. furun- 

 culosa Firth, 1891. 



It was specially investigated in 1905 by James in Delhi sore, 

 Lahore sore, and Frontier sore. Nicolle has obtained cultures of 

 the parasite on the McNeal-Novy medium, and Carter describes 

 sexual forms. Carter, Balfour, and Nattan-Larrier believe, in our 

 opinion correctly, that there are several varieties or species included 

 under the term L . tropica ; thus Carter maintains that the Cambay 

 sore is different from the ' clou de Gafsa ' of Africa. Werner, 

 Carini, and Splendore have shown that the sore may spread to or 

 begin on mucous membranes. 



Distribution.— It is found principally in Asia, in India, China, 

 Asia Minor, Persia, etc., but also occurs in Africa, Algeria. Tunisia, 

 on the Niger and in the Egyptian Sudan, in Mexico, Panama, and 

 South America. 



Morphology. — It differs in no morphological respect from Leish- 

 mania donovani in the human body, though certain minor differences 

 have been described in the flagellate forms in cultures. 



Cultivation. — In 1908 Nicolle first cultivated the parasite on blood - 

 agar and on the modified Nicolle, Novy, McNeal medium often called 

 ' N.N.N.' It grew slowly both in the liquor of condensation and 



