56 OF THE PRINCIPAL WORMS 



riorly with a very sharp piei'cing point, in such 

 fitshion as to be compared to the divisions or 

 claws of common pincers. With these protube- 

 rances the 111 rabrico ides attaches itself to the mem- 

 brane of tlie intestines, and even penetrates it, and 

 when sucking up the mucous secretions, it moves 

 these eminences alternately like three jaws ; thus 

 the worm opens and shuts its triangular mouth, 

 furnished with a tube which it can put out or draw 

 in. A mechanism so well understood proves that 

 these protuberances are tissues or textures of mus- 

 cular fibres. 



AVhen the mouth of the worm is closed, these 

 eminences approximate and form together a cone 

 hard and firm at its summit, terminating in a sharp 

 nipping point, and with this instrument it can even 

 perforate the intestines, and make its way to oth- 

 er parts of the body, as into the gall-bladder,(205) 

 into the cavity of the abdomen, (^06) into the kid- 

 neys, the urinary bladder,(207} the brain,(^08) as 

 well as into other viscera. (209) 



§. XLVI. This worm lives in the intestines, 

 with other worms. JRosenstein mentions(2l0) an 

 infant of four years, feeble and emaciated, who 

 voided several ascarides vermiculares, four arms of 

 a taenia, and ten lumbrico'ides. A similar case 

 is related by Montinf[2ii) and practioners have 

 frequent opportunities of noticing the lumbrico'ides 

 associated with other worms. 



§> XLVII. Children are much disposed to this 

 worm, and adults are not always free from them. 



