THE CONQUEST OF DISEASE 



Filaria nocturna in the mosquito. Bancroft, G. 

 C. Low and S. P. James made the same discov- 

 ery at about the same time. Grassi and Noe 

 have more recently found the filaria taken up 

 from dogs by the mosquito. Further studies 

 have shown that the filaria has a cycle of devel- 

 opment in the mosquito. Although no hu- 

 man being has been experimentally inoculated 

 there are the strongest reasons to believe that 

 this disease is transmitted in a manner similar 

 to malaria. These parasites cause a plugging 

 of the vessels and the production of many once 

 obscure symptoms, one of the most striking of 

 which is the enormous swelling called elephan- 

 tiasis. Some of the hematobia have the power 

 of penetrating mucous membranes, and enter- 

 ing the blood and lymph channels by their own 

 motility. 



Cancer. If cancer is ever conquered it will be, most 



probably, as the result of animal experiment. 

 Surgery has done about all it can. A large 

 number of cases are cured by removal of the 

 disease, which is at first local. If not removed, 

 it spreads into the adjacent tissues, and later 

 becomes disseminated through the body. Early 

 recognition is now the important thing. If the 

 disease is completely removed it is cured ; but in 



116 



