ON THE INGESTION OF ERYTHROCYTES BY PENTATRI- 
CHOMONAS SP., FOUND IN A CASE OF DYSENTERY 
By FRANK G. HauGHwovuT* and WALFRIDO pE LEON” 
(From the Department of Parasitology, College of Medicine and Surgery, 
University of the Philippines) 
ONE PLATE 
On March 9, 1919, there was admitted to the pediatrics ward 
in the Philippine General Hospital, on the service of Dr. José 
Albert, “S. de G.,” Filipina, female, 6 years old, for treatment 
of a condition described as acute dysentery. 
The child had been passing frequent bloody and mucoid bowel 
movements for seven days prior to admission, the stools averaging 
about twenty in number in the twenty-four hours. Each move- 
ment was accompanied by painful tenesmus. Four days after 
the onset of the disease the stools became black and gave off 
a pronounced fishy odor. 
On admission to the hospital the child had slight fever. The 
pulse was of fair volume. She was weak and looked sick, and 
her eyes were slightly sunken. At the time, however, her lungs 
were clear, and the heart was in good condition; in short, the 
general condition of the patient was good. A day or two later 
she developed a mild bronchopneumonia. The parents’ stated 
that the child had suffered from dysentery when she was 3 
years old. The attack had lasted three days, during which 
time she had passed numerous bloody and mucoid stools, and 
ceased following the administration of a purgative. The patient 
had also suffered from epileptiform attacks from time to time. 
There was no other intestinal infection of a similar nature in 
the house, but the parents said the child sometimes drank the 
city water, sometimes artesian-well water, but very frequently 
water that was literally filthy. 
Examination of the child’s stool in the hospital laboratory 
disclosed the presence of numerous flagellates and moderately 
heavy infections with Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris tri- 
chiura. No entamcebze were found. The stool contained mucus, 
* Professor of protozodlogy and chief, department of parasitology. 
*Instructor, department of pathology and bacteriology. 
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