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Oriental Sore 
the sore ran its natural course. One great disadvantage of such a 
treatment is, that to obtain good results the sore must be excised at a 
very early stage of its growth, and this would be before the immunity 
against the organism had been acquired and would leave the patient 
open to further infection. 
Various ointments and lotions have a certain reputation amongst 
the inhabitants of Bagdad. The natives plaster the sores with strong 
solutions of indigo, or with the green alga which they scrape from the 
inside of the “hubs” the native earthenware filters. This continual 
application of medicaments is often continued till there is formed a large, 
dry crust over the sore which has the effect of shutting in the exudation 
and bringing about extensive suppuration. Judging from the difficulty 
of carrying on a culture of the sore parasite in blood agar in the presence 
of bacteria, it might he supposed that the infection of a sore with 
extraneous organisms leading to suppuration might have the desired 
effect of killing off the parasites. Though the suppurating sore does not 
disappear any more quickly than the non-ulcerating type, it is a fact 
that the specific parasites are to be obtained in much greater numbers 
from the latter. Dr Saati tells me that a saturated alcoholic solution of 
methylene blue has sometimes an advantageous effect. It does little to 
cut short the disease, but tends to keep the sore dry and free from 
ulceration. What can be the action of the methylene blue in these 
cases it is difficult to say. Very possibly the dryness is merely the 
hardening effect of the alcohol. The French authorities in N. Africa 
have obtained beneficial results by the dusting of the sore with 
permanganate of potash. 
While in Bagdad I was in the habit of giving the yellow mercury 
oiutment as an attractive medicament. It had no effect other than the 
cleansing of the sores, for I insisted that a careful washing of the sore 
was necessary before each fresh application. When once a sore has 
developed, the best course to adopt is to protect it from irritation, as 
this may start the unpleasant process of ulceration. It must be kept 
clean, and thus undisturbed, it will run the ordinary course for a year 
producing an immunity which will protect from further attacks. 
Preve)ition. Unless the mode of infection is definitely determined, 
it is difficult to lay down rules for prevention. In all probability— 
and this is supported by the observations that the specific parasite will 
develop into flagellates in the gut of both the bed bug and a mosquito 
—the disease is conveyed from person to person by some insect which 
feeds upon exposed surfaces of the body. During the hot months of 
