GLAND PUNCTURE IN TRYPANOSOMIASIS 
101 
head showed obvious signs of disease. The first examination of its blood was 
negative. Ten days later the blood was again centrifugalized, and trypanosomes were 
found. The fluid from a superficial neck gland was examined at the same time, and 
parasites, in fair numbers, were seen to be present. Three days later the animal was 
killed and an autopsy performed. Parasites, though once more absent to ordinary 
coverslip preparations of blood, were again found by centrifugalizing. They were also 
seen in the juice of a hyperaemic mesenteric gland, which was examined almost 
immediately after the animals death, in about the same numbers as at the previous 
examination of cervical gland fluid. After this positive result it was extraordinary 
that many preparations, made one or two hours after death from glands taken from 
various parts of the body, should have all been negative, while preparations from 
blood, pleural, pericardial, and peritoneal fluids all showed active parasites. 
This observation has a most interesting parallel in the results of our autopsies 
on cases of sleeping sickness. 4 Only once, 4 and that in an autopsy done within an 
hour after death, have trypanosomes been found in gland fluid taken post-mortem from 
cases of human trypanosomiasis, but living parasites have very frequently been seen 
in the various serous fluids. 
The bloods and gland fluids of several other animals from this herd were 
examined with negative result. # 
We conclude that : — 
(1) The examination of glandular fluid, though not infallible, is a very efficient 
means of detecting the presence of trypanosomes, 
(2) Because of its simplicity gland puncture will be found a very useful routine 
diagnostic method. 
* The neck glands of two cows, infected with trypanosomiasis, since examined at Nouvelle Anvers, were found to 
contain parasites. 
