7i 0B8ERVATI0XS ON FILAKI.E. 



that continually occurs to one. Why is it that the mature Filaria 

 immitis is so easy to find in the dog, and the mature human 

 Lsematozoon so seldom discovered in man ? 



" I must not trespass any more on your time, and would only say 

 thatif you find these notes of value in any way, I should be pleased 

 you should make what use you like of them. 

 " I am, dear Sir, 



'' Very faithfully yours, 



''John R. Somerville." 

 " Thos. Spencer Cobbold, Esq., M.D., &c., &c." 



Letter from Dr. Bancroft. 



" Brisbane, May 19, 1879. 

 " Dear Sir, — I have not been able to find much new re Filaria 

 of late, though I have worked at the subject as usual. I am sorry 

 to say that the old volumes of the ' Lancet' which contain the various 

 points of history have not been preserved. 



" I have been examining tank water at a house where cases of 

 filaria disease reside, but have found nothing. The following matters 

 are of interest, and suitable for publication in any way you think fit. 

 I am much at a loss for guiding information. 



" Believe me, 



" Yours truly, 



*' J. Bancroft." 



" P.S. — I am preparing drawings of Trichomonas ragince, which 

 I think will interest Dr. Beale." 



" T. S. Cobbold, Esq." 



( Filaria Bancrofti.) 

 There can be no doubt but that the elastic groin tumour and 

 axillary tumour, which I ventured to call Helminthoma elastica^ are 

 conclusive evidence of the parasitic condition under consideration. 

 The fluid that exudes when the tumour is tapped contains some 

 blood, but when this has been allowed to subside for a few 

 hours, the bulk of the superstratum has all the appearance of 

 milk, and closely resembles chylous urine. It seems, therefore, that 

 this elastic structure— which, in my paper in the " Pathological 

 Society's Transactions " of last year, is described as looking, 

 when exposed by incision, like large everted piles — opens on some 



