The haematocrit centrifuge for the detection of trypanosomes in blood

A capillary tube holder, devised to minimize shadow effects during microscopic examination of haematocrit capillary tubes for trypanosomes, is described. A blood dispenser, designed to remove trypanosomes from centrifuged tubes, resulted in thinner smears of trypanosomes covering a smaller area. The anterior end of centrifuged trypanosomes was abnormally thickened and the kinetoplast displaced posteriorly.