OF THE HUMAN BODY. 51 



vermicularis ; it is considered by some naturalists 

 as a characteristic sign of the female sex.(lSO) 



§ XLT. In the male ascaris vermicularis we 

 observe under the intestinal tube, a very small and 

 very white canal, which extends quite to ihe end 

 of the tail. (181) There is no doubt that the or- 

 gans of generation, which characterize the male 

 are situated in this part, and that it passes out in 

 common with the posterior extremity of the in- 

 testinal tube. (IS::) Van-Phelsum found it filled 

 with a whitish albuminous substance. He is how- 

 ever deceived when he pretended to have observ- 

 ed that the course of this canal was spiral, and that 

 the tail of this worm terminated iu a broad sack, 

 distended with eggs. 



Werner has also fallen into the same error,(183) 

 for confiding in the remark of Van-Phelsum, he 

 has given the figure of it without subjecting this 

 worm to that rigorous examination, which he has 

 bestowed on all the other worms, which he has 

 drawn and described with exactness. 



The figure of tiie nvale and female vermicu- 

 lar worms, given by Goeze, is the most perfect, 

 and on this figure rests our description of them. 



^ XLII. The intestinal tube of the female as- 

 caris vermicularis is surrounded by a membranous 

 canal containing nothing but fetuses, and which by 

 pressure merely, can in great part be expelled 

 through an aperture situated at about one third of 

 the length of tlie body. (184) If a small portion of 

 this membranous canal is subjected to the micro- 



