*358 Mammalian Trypanosomes of Africa 
no evidence that the word was coined to fit a previously unknown complaint.” 
This is misleading, as the verb “okumongota,” meaning to “nod with sleep” 
did exist, and the derivative “mongota” was applied to the disease because 
of its most striking symptom. 
It appears that two diseases, known respectively as Buko and Kasumagidzi 
occurred in Buganda Kingdom, but not in Sesse, before the epidemic. Sir 
Apolo, who of course saw the drift of the questioning, volunteered the remark 
that a man suffering from Buko seen to-day would be called a case of “ mon¬ 
gota.” The two diseases were uncommon, especially the latter, and might or 
might not prove fatal. They were characterised by swellings, especially of 
the face and neck, great appetite, and drowsiness. 
I enquired of Dr Cook at Kampala, whose great experience of native 
diseases is well known, as to whether he had met with these two complaints 
in his wide practice. He informed me that although he had not actually 
encountered them, he was familiar with the name Buko, which, it appears, 
is the name applied to certain obscure symptoms which the natives say 
develop as the result of marrying within the prohibited degrees. The other 
disease, according to native information, results from eating a certain small 
bird whose characteristic nodding movements are imposed on the unfortunate 
in whose food an enemy has secretly placed the forbidden flesh. Both diseases 
are rarer to-day than formerly: they were not in any way associated with 
residence in tsetse areas, but are rather relics of the superstitions of former 
days. 
The old Basesse questioned were unanimous that no such disease as typical 
“mongota” occurred on the Islands before the epidemic. They described a 
“fever” which was distinct from spirochaete fever and which lasted for 
varying periods—sometimes a few days, sometimes a month or more. Under 
this heading cases of mild trypanosomiasis might have been grouped. This 
is, however, pure speculation. 
A very interesting fact that has come to light during the course of these 
enquiries is that at the time of the onset of the great outbreak in Busoga, 
which coincided with a terrible famine in that country, the Basoga sold their 
children up to 12 or 16 years of age to the Baganda and the Basesse in exchange 
for food. As a result, many Basoga actually died in Buganda and Sesse of 
the new disease which eventually worked such havoc in these two countries. 
At the same .time, too, natives returning from the great safari 1 of the 
European trader “ Binywera ” who went to E. Africa overland round the north¬ 
eastern corner of the lake, came home to their as yet uninfected villages to 
die of this strange disease. The readiness with which my informants, after 
a few moments’ thought, could name the first case which occurred in their 
own village was most striking, and equally so was the frequency with which 
this case proved to be either a Musoga slave or a porter from the big safari. 
The number of Uganda natives originally included in this great safari amounted 
1 Overland journey with native carriers. 
