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leg of India, and there are grounds of belief that it causes leprosy. 

 In Amoy a very large number of Chinese are afflicted with the 

 parasite, and the learned Dr. Manson discovered that this mosquito 

 in sucking the blood of a diseased person swallows the embryonic 

 worm that floats in the blood." Dr. Manson found 120 of these 

 worms in the blood contained in one mosquito. Dr. Bancroft has 

 never counted more than 45 in any mosquito that he was able to 

 examine from diseased persons in Brisbane. He adds the following 

 conclusions as to its life history : — " The mosquito swallows the 

 blood infested with the parasite, and subsequently contaminates 

 the water with the same in laying her eggs. Persons drink of 

 the water containing the filarice, and becomes subject to one or 

 more of the diseased conditions known to be caused by this parasite. 

 The only protection against this frightful pest which gives a taint 

 to the blood, and which becomes hereditary, is to drink no water 

 which has not been boiled and filtered. The learned doctor 

 concludes that this parasite has been introduced into Queensland 

 by about fifty diseased Chinamen from Amoy, who between the 

 years 1853 and 1862 were admitted into the Brisbane Hospital. 

 The history of some of the cases were carefully recorded, and was 

 that of leprosy. According to Dr. Manson about one-tenth of his 

 patients haAfila/ria in their blood. These interesting observations 

 have the highest importance for the future well-being of the 

 Colonies. Even to trace the origin of a disease is a great step 

 towards its eradication ; and all must hope for Dr. Bancroft a 

 long career to pursue these inquiries so important to the health 

 of our young communities. His labours form a valuable illustration 

 of how the study of natural history may benefit mankind. As 

 far as his observations go the learned doctor finds that blood 

 worms are a numerous family in the neighbourhood of Brisbane. 

 He has discovered Filaria immitis in the heart of dogs. This is 

 a well-known species, which reaches ten inches in length. This 

 disease is also common in China, but it is not known whether or 

 no it will infest the human species, but in all probability it will. 



