87 
ON A DISEASE IN MAN FOLLOWING TICK-BITES 
AND OCCURRING IN LOURENgO MARQUES. 
By JOSE F. SANT’ ANNA, M.DJ 
LoureriQO Marques. 
The grass in the vicinity of the town of Lourenijo Marques is often 
infested by larval ticks, especially in places frequented by cattle. These 
ticks are so numerous as to constitute a veritable scourge, since they 
attack a variety of animals, and man is frequently a victim to their 
onslaughts. The ticks are especially prevalent in July and August. 
Their bites may produce merely a local effect, but in some persons 
general symptoms may follow. 
Local effects. The effects of the bites of the ticks vary. There may 
be simply great itching, as in scabies. In such cases little vesicles 
appear at the seat of the bites, and some of the vesicles are found to 
contain the larval ticks. These vesicles were usually noted after about 
eight days in the cases observed by the author, and their appearance 
may be accompanied by general symptoms. 
General symptoms have been observed iti six cases. The patient at 
first complains of general weakness, muscular pains, and especially of 
considerable difficulty in moving his arms and legs. Examined at this 
stage, the superficial glands in the groin and axilla are found to be 
acutely enlarged and painful; the glands are obviously inflamed. The 
enlarged glands are referable to small boils or pimples produced by 
some of the tick-bites; the pimples are at times very minute but 
nevertheless give rise to superficial lymphangitis. The glands in the 
neck become swollen after a short time, those situated in the nape of 
the neck being chiefly involved. The patient suffers from severe 
occipital headache, with considerable rigidity of the muscles of the 
nape of the neck, so that the head may be turned to one side, as in 
1 Abstract of notes supplied by the author.—G. H. F. N. 
