154 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

to think of such things ; but I can assure such, that to us, wearied and weakened in mind and body by months of hard marching, constant fevers and unwholesome food, these dinners were life, and we could only admire and be grateful to the man who would throw his dignity to the winds if it stood in the way of doing a kindness to a friend.

We stayed at Djour Ghattas until November 8, and during this time we learnt a good deal about the mode of government and the habits of the people.

One of the great pests of this part of the country is the Guinea worm, or Filaria medinensis, calle Fertit or Farantit by the natives. Many theories have been advanced as to the origin of this disease ; from the fact that the worm is usually found in the legs, it seems to me probable that the germ enters the leg while wading, and is not introduced by drinking the water. The seat of the disease is the subcutaneous tissue, and the germ probably enters the sweat glands. The symptoms of the disease are at first very obscure, but when the worm appears on the surface of the afi'ected part, great care must be taken not to break it off short.

It should be carefully and gradually drawn out as far as possible, and then made fast to a twig to prevent its drawing itself in again, and it should then be left for a few days, when a further portion may be drawn out, and repeated until the worm is entirely extracted. Some of the worms are