124 abstracts: pathology 



was definitely proved that Cysticercus ovis is neither Cysticercus cellu- 

 losae nor C. tenuicolUs. Like the latter it is the intermediate stage of 

 a dog tapeworm, but of a species heretofore unrecognized in its adult 

 stage. The name of this species is Taenia ovis (Cobbold, 1869). Dogs 

 become infested as a result of devouring measly mutton, and sheep as 

 a result of swallowing the eggs of the tapeworm in food or water con- 

 taminated by the feces of infested dogs. There is no reason to suppose 

 that the parasite is transmissible to man; in fact no tapeworm infesta- 

 tion occurred in a human subject (the writer) after the ingestion of 

 live cysticerci. Cysticercus ovis may attain its full development in 

 sheep in less than three months after infection and in the dog the tape- 

 worm may reach egg-producing maturity in seven weeks after the in- 

 gestion of the Cysticercus. C. ovis is practically limited to the inter- 

 muscular connective tissue, and thus differs from C. tenuicolUs which 

 occurs in more or less intimate relation with serous membranes. Un- 

 like the latter it apparently does not pass through the liver in its migra- 

 tions from the alimentary tract to its final location. 



Cysticercus ovis has been found occasionally in England, France, 

 Germany, Algeria, German South West Africa, and New Zealand. Its 

 presence has been determined in seven of the western United States. 

 As yet no infestation has been found in sheep from the eastern United 

 States. Wolves, probably, as well as dogs, may serve as hosts of the 

 adult tapeworm. The Cysticercus may occur in goats. 



Over 17,000 of the sheep slaughtered under Federal supervision during 

 the year 1912, prior to December 1, were found to be infested with 

 Cysticercus ovis. So far as the sheep in the western United States are 

 concerned the number actually infested probably exceeds 2 per cent. 



A full discussion of Cysticercus ovis is given under the headings of 

 historical summary, life-history investigation, zoological description, 

 remarks on morphologj'" and comparison with other species, macroscopic 

 appearance, distribution in body, degeneration, diagnosis, geographic 

 distribution, prevalence, age of infested sheep, economic importance, 

 significance in meat inspection, survival after death of host, and pro- 

 phylaxis. B. H. R. 



