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muller, in Arabia Petraea, on the borders of the Persian Gulf and of 

 the Caspian Sea, — on the banks of the Ganges, — in Upper Egypt, 

 Abyssinia and Guinea. From its frequency in the latter country its 

 vulgar name is derived, but its occurrence even there is extremely ca- 

 pricious. In some districts on the coast of Africa almost every native 

 coming off to the ships is found to be affected with the worm, whilst 

 in other places, distant only a few leagues, scarcely a trace of it will 

 be met with. The same narrow limitation of range has also been 

 observed in India, and the epidemic prevalence of the worm has 

 been supposed to be connected with the periodicity of the seasons. 

 In India, it is stated by some writers to prevail mostly in the months 

 of November, December and January. Correct observations, how- 

 ever, with respect to periodicity, are much to be desired, with refe- 

 rence not only to this but to all Entozoa. 



In America the Guinea worm is unknown, except in persons 

 who have had communication with Africa or other parts where it is 

 indigenous. The island of Curacoa is the only locality in the New 

 World which offers an apparent exception to this fact; and it would 

 be highly desirable to ascertain the real state of the case in this in- 

 stance. 



Though endemic only in the above-mentioned parts of the world, 

 it would yet appear that all races of mankind are obnoxious to the 

 attacks of the Filaria when exposed to what may be called the con- 

 tagion, that is, when placed in circumstances under which it might 

 be supposed a contagious seminium could be conveyed to them. 

 This liability is incurred, so far as I have been able to ascertain, by 

 the exposure of the bare surface of any part of the body to water in 

 which the infection may be supposed to reside. There is, at all 

 events, at present no evidence of any other source of infection. I 

 have known many instances tending to prove that, in order that a 

 European should become infected with the Guinea worm on the 

 coast of Africa, it is not necessary he should have been ashore at all. 

 It has been quite sufficient for him to have exposed the bare surface 

 of some part of his person to the water in the native canoes alongside, 

 or, it may be, to the discharge from the sores of those labouring un- 

 der the disease. This mode of its introduction accounts for the fre- 

 quency with which the legs and feet are attacked by the parasite in 

 preference to other parts of the body, as it will always, I believe, be 

 found that the men who have become so affected have been in the 

 habit of going about with bare feet, as is common among sailors in 

 warm latitudes. That the contagious material is conveyed in water 



