INTESTINAL PARASITES IN EAST AFRICA 467 
On further investigation, during part of 1915 and 1916, 
a total of 1500 examinations were made not only of African 
natives, but of Indians of the Expeditionary Forces and 
Washihira Arabs of the Arab Rifles. 
Positive. Negative. 
Per cent. Per cent. 
Total No. of Observations 1500 
. 51*8 . 
48*1 
„ „ Indians 
. 728 
. 81-7 . 
68-2 
„ „ Arabs 
. 88 
. 62-6 . 
87-8 
„ „ African 
. 689 
. 71*8 . 
28-1 
It is necessary to state at the outset that all the subjects 
examined — Indians, Arabs, and Africans — were, as a whole, 
under conditions inseparable from active service. The per- 
centages of infections may, with certain reservations, therefore 
be considered to be somewhat higher than they would be 
under ordinary conditions of life for each of the above races. 
No special distinction was drawn in the selection of patients 
for examination, as was for those shown in the first table, 
but cases admitted for all diseases were included. 
Considering the Indians of the civilian class following 
occupations such as those of clerks, railway-men, merchants, 
traders, and shop-keepers, it may he said that they rarely 
suffer from intestinal parasites. 
What the figures for these may be it is impossible to say ; 
but one cannot recollect having seen more than three cases, 
during a period extending over two years, at Mombasa. 
The factors governing this are cleanly habits, thorough 
cooking of food, protection of the feet by boots ; latrines, and 
a sanitary use of them. 
The comparatively high degree of infections among the 
Indian troops is, without doubt, due to the converse of these 
conditions holding in the field ; and although the different 
infections were more or less evenly distributed for most areas 
and seasons of the year, the sick sent in from one area in 
particular, during the latter half of 1915, infected with 
ankylostomiasis, contributed materially towards raising 
the total percentage. 
