G. A. Turner 
197 
River, Klip River, Umzindusi (Maritzburg), and streams in Middelburg 
(Cape Colony and Transvaal). In 1907, Capt. Gatt, R.A.M.C., con¬ 
tributed an article on the occurrence of the disease among European 
troops infected in Middelburg (Transvaal), and since then, Dr Arnold 
has reported that numbers of the civil inhabitants of Middelburg, who 
have bathed in either the Groot or Klein Oliphants River, have 
contracted the complaint. It is said that in the Klein Oliphants River 
there is one particular pool in which it is considered to be especially 
dangerous to bathe. 
A statement has been made that people do not contract Bilharziosis 
in those rivers running west. This statement is borne out to some 
extent by references to Table I, which gives the result of microscopical 
examinations of samples of urines taken from natives of various tribes. 
It may be noticed that in no case were any Damaras or British Basutos 
found to harbour the parasites. Further, an educated British Basuto, 
employed in the hospital, tells me that he has never heard of people in 
his country passing blood with their urine. 
The foregoing information collected from various sources should, 
with Table I, which gives results of urine examinations, and Table II, 
giving the number of times the parasites were fouud in livers at 
autopsies, make the geographical distribution fairly clear. These tables 
should also assist one in forming an estimate of the percentage of 
natives infected in each tribe, but a more accurate idea on this point 
can be obtained by referring to Table III, under the heading of 
Parasites. 
Besides these:— 
Triodontophorus deminutus was found on 1 occasion, 
Physaloptera mordens „ „ 2 occasions 
Trichocephalus trichiurus „ „ 2 „ 
We see therefore that about 33‘5°/ 0 of natives have the Bilharzia 
parasite in the liver. The finding of the parasite in that position is often 
a matter of difficulty, consequently it must be admitted that any 
conclusions drawn from these figures will err on the small side. 
The figures showing the numbers of other parasites found demon¬ 
strate the extent to which the South African native is infected. We 
may therefore consider the disease to be spread over the following areas. 
Commencing at the north, Nyassa, Mozambique and Quilitnane natives 
are largely infected, that is to say, the people inhabiting the East 
Coast country between the southern border of German East Africa and 
13—2 
