200 Relapsing Fever 
Although the various relapsing fevers of the world produce different 
pathological effects, yet there are gradations from one form to another, 
and on the whole it seems probable that all of them are to be regarded 
as merely local varieties of one widely distributed disease which has 
become adapted to different intermediate hosts in different localities. 
Although for the present it is convenient to retain the specific names 
for the spirochaetes of the various strains of relapsing fevers, yet it is 
very probable that at the most they are merely varieties of one species 
of widely distributed spirochaete (>S'. recurrentis). 
Prophylaxis. As the disease is transmitted by the bite of 0. moubata, 
any prophylaxis is based upon the avoidance of the ticks. If, however, 
one detects the tick in the act of feeding it should be possible to 
avoid infection by carefully bathing the tick and the surrounding 
skin with carbolic solution before removing the tick. By this means 
the infectious excrement of the tick may be sterilised before it has had 
time to penetrate into the wound caused by the bite. 
When travelling through infected country the native huts and rest- 
houses should never be used, and Koch (1906) advises that Europeans 
should camp at least 20-30 yards away from any such places. 
In order to diminish the number of cases of infection in any 
district Wellman (1906) advises that the following measures should be 
adopted:— 
The tick should be regularly destroyed in crowded centres by 
disinfecting native houses, barracks and other permanent quarters, and 
old camps, huts etc. should be burnt. 
Soldiers and other native employees should be made to keep their 
houses clean and well-swept ^ they should sleep in hammocks or in beds 
raised from the floor and away from any wall so that the ticks cannot 
enter the beds. Natives should never be allowed to sleep near the 
European quarters. 
Soldiers, porters, native servants, etc. should be made to bathe and 
wash their clothes frequently. 
The natural enemies of the tick might be encouraged, for Wellman 
noticed that certain of the Reduviidae fed on them. Moreover they are 
devoured by rats, and also by many birds. 
Also a certain fungus sometimes attacks them with results fatal to 
the tick. 
In conclusion it should be noticed that the Relapsing Fever of 
Tropical Africa is spreading very rapidly through travellers carrying 
