S. Hadwen 
•205 
Appendix II. 
Todd (1912) addressed letters to a number of doctors in British 
Columbia, asking for information concerning the ill-effects following 
tick bites. He records that six letters were received, mentioning 
instances in which tick bites were followed by paralysis, and occasionally 
by death. I would cite the followdng : 
“ Dr G. B. H., Creston, B.C.: A little girl, four years of age, gradu¬ 
ally lost the use of her legs during two or three days until she was 
unable to stand. A tick was removed from the nape of the neck and 
within three days the child was well again.” 
“Dr 0. M., Vernon, B.C., January 1912: A healthy child, three- 
and-a-half years of age, had been perfectly well until tw'o hours before 
examination. When the patient was seen there was no temperature 
and the pulse was normal, but the legs were almost completely para¬ 
lysed. The child could not stand, and the reflexes were gone. A tick 
w'as found firmly attached to the base of the neck ; it was removed. 
The paralysis continued during the day. Next morning there was 
slight improvement, and by the evening the child had recovered the use 
of her legs. 
Dr N. knows of an instance in which an adult complained of weak¬ 
ness of the legs after a tick bite on the back.” 
“Dr W. O. R., Nelson, B.C.: About 1900 a child died suddenly 
with symptoms of acute ascending paralysis. After death a large tick 
was found at the nape of the neck. 
In 1901, a second child with the same symptoms died after an 
ill ness of two days. A tick was found attached to the right temple. 
The knowledge of these two cases suggested the presence of a tick 
when a third child, previously very healthy, was seen, whose legs had 
been becoming weaker for two days. One tick was found at tlie nape 
of the neck ; it was removed, and in two days the child was quite well 
again. 
On April 10th, 1912, a little girl, three years of age, had become 
paralysed. The legs were completely paralysed and the reflexes goue ; 
paresis of the arms was marked. Three ticks were removed from the 
nape of the neck and the child recovered completely.” 
Dr Todd adds : “ These notes are made public in the hope that 
they may induce physicians who have seen or who may see similar cases 
to publish their experiences, for it seems possible that an undescribed 
