152 PROTOZOAN PARASITISM 



this study, and 23% of those who harbored Trichom- 

 onas hominis showed a condition of gastric anacid- 

 ity. Twenty-five per cent, of the flagellate-free and 

 but 14% of the carriers of Trichomonas hominis 

 had gastric hyperacidity. Experimentally Trichom- 

 onas hominis is mainly destroyed in 0.1% HCl in 

 0.9% sodium chloride solution in two hours, and all 

 are killed by stronger acid mixture. 



There was a history of diarrhoea in 8% of the free 

 and 6% of the parasitized, while 55% of the former 

 and 50% of the latter were habitually constipated. 



There was no change of the blood or other ab- 

 normality which was not equally conspicuous in the 

 two groups, except that the records of the hosts of 

 Trichomonas hominis showed a clinical diagnosis of 

 chronic cholecystitis in 44% as against a like diag- 

 nosis in 22% of the controls. 



Those who are convicted of the pathogenicity of 

 the parasite will consider this as distinct evidence 

 in favor of that belief, while those who are opposed 

 will ascribe it to the creation in this clinical state 

 of conditions more favorable to the seating and sur- 

 vival of the parasite in the intestine, particularly in 

 favor of it being able to pass the stomach. It must 

 be borne in mind that a clinical diagnosis of chronic 

 cholecystitis is itself an indefinite thing. 



The writer has used the term "Trichomoniasis" as 

 relating to the activities of Trichomonas in man, at 

 that time believing it to be definitely a disease pro- 

 ducer. More mature observation, however, and 



