24 
THE PASSAGE OF TRYPANOSOMA GAMBIENSE 
THROUGH MUCOUS MEMBPvANES AND SKIN. 
By EDWARD HINDLE, Ph.D., A.R.C.S., F.L.S., 
Magdalene College, Cambridge: Beit Memorial Research Felloxo. 
{From the Quick Laboratory, University of Canihddge.) 
Although ia nature Sleeping Sickness is chiefly transmitted by 
Glossina palpalis, the possibility of other modes of infection has been 
suggested by various authors. 
In 1907 Koch brought forward evidence which seemed to show that 
this disease may be transmitted by coitus, for, in his report from 
Uganda, the following note occurs: “ All attempts to find G. palpalis 
in that part of Kisiba in which the disease chiefly occurs have been 
proved unavailing; it may now be assumed to be certain that the fly 
does not occur in those regions.” Here 15 infected women were found. 
“ These had never left Kisiba and could only have been infected there. 
It is, howevei’, further established that the women are all married, that 
their husbands either have died of Sleeping Sickness, or are suffering 
from the disease. Of particular importance for the significance of this 
occurrence of Sleeping Sickness in married women is that in one case a 
man with trypanosomiasis has three wives and that all three also suffer 
in a demonstrable manner from trypanosomiasis ; one of them is already 
very ill. From this it must he concluded that the infection in this case 
can have been brought about only by sexual intercourse. If any other 
agency, e.g. bloodsucking insects, were to convey the disease in Kisiba 
from infected persons to healthy not only women whose husbands suffer 
from trypanosomiasis must have fallen ill, but also women with healthy 
husbands, unmarried women, moreover children and older people who 
live in close contact with sick.” (Quoted from Sleeping Sickness Bulletin, 
I. pp. 72—73.) 
