Lei8hnmnia donovani, the organism causing visceral leishmaniasis, is a small, round or ovoid body measuring 2-5 g. in diameter, which occurs exclusively within cells of the reticulo-endothelial system of its mammalian host. In culture, or in the insect vector, the parasite exists in a flagellate leptomonad form. In the case of L. tropica in culture, it was shown by Salle & Schmidt (1928) that glucose was utilized, and that volatile acids and ammonia appeared in the culture medium. Reports on the metabolism of sugars in cultures have also been made by Kligler (1925-26), Noguchi (1926), Senekjie (1939), and Senekjie & Zebouni (1940). As