TRYPANOSOMIASIS EXPEDITION TO SENEGAMBIA 
25 
The latter is said to be more unhealthy for horses than the district to the north of 
the river. In Fogni and Kommbo there are very few horses. 
We believe that the scarcity of horses in these two latter districts is due to 
trypanosomiasis of such a chronic course that the natives do not recognize that their 
horses are ill. They say that horses usually die by becoming- gradually thin and 
weak, though eating heartily, until they die through sheer inanition. This is pre- 
cisely the course of horse trypanosomiasis as we have seen it. 
If the disease were more acute it would be recognized, for the natives are not 
altogether unobservant. They recognize various types of disease in their animals, 
and consequently practice rude veterinary medicine. 
They describe two horse sicknesses (we have seen neither), characterized the 
one by ' swollen stomachs and legs and, rarely, by loss of hair from the neck,' and 
the other by 'pain in the head, running from the eves and nostrils, and lack of appe- 
tite.' The latter is called ' Jukundo,' and about fifteen to twenty years ago it caused 
an epidemic, during which a very large number of horses died. 
Herdsmen recognize diseases among their herds ; in one instance a Fulah 
cattle owner asserted that it was Jolofin Job {Glossina palpalis) which killed his cattle. 
The native is far from blind to the well-being of his stock, and the chronicity of the 
horse disease will be still better appreciated when it is remembered that he fails to 
recognize it. 
o 
A large number of horses, perhaps three hundred or more, are yearly 
imported into the Gambia from towns in French territory. They come from all parts 
of Senegal, principally from Galum, Fotatora, and Niani. We have been told that 
many of them die within a year after reaching English territory, particularly it they 
have not been sent away from the river's bank for the rains, as is the usual native 
custom. During the wet season all horses, donkeys, and cattle are sent to higher 
ground several miles distant from the river. Whether this is done altogether with 
the idea of removing the animals from an unhealthy neighbourhood or partially to 
obtain better grazing we cannot say. Certain it is that during the rains many natives 
absolutely refuse to bring their live stock to the river. The tall red Soudan sheep 
will not live on the river, and invariably die within three or four months. Sheep 
brought to the river are, for this reason, always slaughtered at once. While in the 
Gambia we examined the blood of many domestic animals, goats, cattle, dogs, 
donkeys, and sheep for trypanosomes, but always with negative results. 
The number of horses which were examined was very small. It was often 
much easier to persuade a native to give a drop of his own blood than to allow his 
animals to be pricked. In addition, there are never more than two or three horses 
in a village. We did not travel a great deal, and so saw comparatively few horses. 
The following table shows the number of horses examined and the number 
found to be infected in each locality : — 
F. 
