SLEEPING-SICKNESS, OR TRYPANOSOMIASIS.
Every known antiseptic or antiparasitic drug has been tried, though, as stated by 1). Bruce, there is no absolute proof that a single case of recovery has ever occurred. In the second review published in the re ports of the ‘Vellcome Research Laboratories at Khartoum (19II), reference is made to the cure of Kerandel, as reported by himself, after taking a series of intravenous injections of Antim. Tart.
Atoxyl (Arsamin, Soda Arsanilate, Soamin) has been extensively tried, and appears to possess a specific lethal action on the trypanosomes of mice. In man the parasites are at first killed in numbers by the arsenical salt, but some survive in the bone marrow, and these ultimately develop a marked tolerance of the drug after they enter the circulation again, and though the injections (i o grs.) be pushed till total blindness results and other symptoms of poisoning occur, the disease progresses to its final issue in death.
Many observers recommend the simultaneous injection of other antiparasitic drugs to which the trypanosomes do not become immune; hence the combined Atoxyl and Mercury treatment has been advocated.
This has been carried out in its simplest form by deep injections of Mercury Atoxylate r gr. in suspension in water, which have proved curative in syphilis.
Antimony has been combined with the atoxyl treatment, and more hopeful results have been obtained, though the deep of Tartar Emetic cause sloughing of the tissues. Hence the arsenic is given by deep injection every 3 or 5 days, and the tartarated antimony is administered by the veins once or twice a week. Antimony Thioglycollate and Trioxide have been also employed.
Trypan Red has been administered alone or in combination with mercurials and antimony and with Trypan Blue, Parafuschin and other dyes as recommended by Ehrlich. Salvarsan and many other arsenical salts have likewise proved useless.