H. L. Duke 
421 
and kept under observation, and apart from the reported extermination of 
local populations, there is no evidence that all cases developed into sleeping 
sickness, or proved eventually fatal. 
V. THE JUSTIFICATION FOR THE PREVENTIVE MEASURES. 
Sir H. Hesketh Bell declared in recommending the suppressive policy that 
“onlv the seriousness of the situation could have warranted such drastic 
J 
measures” (8). It is indeed true that only a most serious situation could have 
justified measures which involved the complete expatriation of whole tribes 
of natives; the wholesale destruction of property—huts, plantations, canoes, 
fishing gear, etc., and even of live stock; and the, temporary at least, de¬ 
struction of all economic values throughout a territory which for natural 
wealth might be compared to the Protectorate of Zanzibar, and which had 
been originally as populous as the Gambia. 
Nevertheless these measures were entirely justifiable on the assumption 
that a close parallel existed between human and bovine trypanosomiasis, 
between ‘‘sleeping sickness” of man and “fly sickness” of cattle as transmitted 
(in Uganda) by Glossina palpalis and Glossina morsitans respectively. This 
assumption received additional support from the discovery that the try¬ 
panosome responsible for the human disease was, also, like that causing cattle 
disease, a parasite of fly and game in uninhabited country. It was common 
knowledge that in order to control bovine trypanosomiasis it was necessary 
completely to sever all contact between fly and cattle. Nothing could have 
been more natural than to assume that similarly drastic measures were 
necessary to check the spread of the human disease. 
VI. EARLY CRITICISMS OF THE MEASURES. 
It was predicted in certain quarters that it would prove impracticable 
completely to sever all contact between fly and population; that fly could not 
be completely exterminated from localities, such as the lake ports, where it 
was inexpedient to remove the population; and that natives could not be 
altogether prevented from trespassing on depopulated territory. Therefore, 
it was predicted that the disease could not be extirpated, but would persist 
endemically, ready to spread as soon as reoccupation of fly infested territory 
was attempted. This forecast was made before it was known that the parasite 
could persist in fly and game. 
This criticism of the measures proposed, it will be noted, is based on the 
same premises as the argument used in support of them, and assumes, in 
effect if not in direct reference, the existence of an exact parallel between 
human and bovine trypanosomiasis. 
The criticism is of particular interest in view of the outcome of the measures. 
It was in fact proved to be impracticable completely to exterminate fly from 
populated districts or completely to prevent trespassing and poaching in the 
depopulated zone; but despite the fact that measurably broad contact between 
