91 
A CRITICAL REVIEW OF OUR PRESENT KNOWLEDGE 
OF THE HAEMOFLAGELLATES AND ALLIED FORMS. 
By Captain W. S. PATTON, M.B. Edinb, I.M.S. 
A LARGE number of the trypanosomes and allied flagellates are now 
known to be the causal agents of some of the most fatal diseases of man 
and of the lower animals-. The study of these parasites during the past 
fifteen years has truly made phenomenal strides, and at the present time 
it holds a position of commanding interest. Novy (1907) in a recent 
paper aptly states the reason for this active research when he says, “It 
is not merely because six or seven of these diseases have been recognised 
in domestic animals in Asia, Africa and South America. It is not 
wholly due to the discovery of a human form of the disease, but rather to 
the fact that the mastery by man of whole regions is called into question. 
The successful contest with malaria and yellow fever has now given 
place to the fight with trypanosomiasis and upon the issue of this 
struggle depends to a large extent the destiny of Equatorial Africa.” 
Of the numerous publications upon the Haemoflagellates the first to 
occupy our attention is one of recent date by Woodcock (Jan. 1909). 
Except for a few additions relating to recent work Woodcock’s 
article is identical with a similar one which appeared in the 
Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science for 1906. This in itself is 
disappointing for we understand that Dr Woodcock, as Mackinnon 
Student of the Royal Society, has been working for the last two years at 
the Haematozoa of birds and their relation to certain Haemoflagellates ; 
yet very little convincing evidence is now brought forward to support 
Schaudinn’s conclusions. 
We propose reviewing in detail Woodcock’s present article, which is 
divided into eight sections, a postscript, an appendix and a complete 
list of the known hosts of the trypanosomes and allied forms. In his 
