log THE ORIGIN OF 



vented for the purpose of finding a cause for the 

 creation of animals ! 



Nevertheless this sublime hypothesis, to which 

 some have pretended to give weight in our day, af- 

 ter the surprising observations oU^eedham,{V^) and 

 the metaphysical reasonings of the very ingenious 

 jRez7,(13) seems by no means applicable here, since, 

 I repeat it, the generative organs of v.'orms, are 

 very evident, as well as in the more perfect animals. 



^ LX. The quantity of eggs which worms de- 

 posit in our bodies, being prodigious, it must fol- 

 low, add the anti-ovarists and tlie partisans of pu- 

 trefaction, that in every man an immense number 

 of worms mu^t be developed, which is contrary to 

 experience. 



This sage reflection, far from overthrowing the 

 system already confirmed respecting the origin of 

 worms, favours it in all its extension ; and, in my 

 opinion, it proves nothing, unless it be that certain 

 determinate circumstances are necessary to facili- 

 tate the development of the eggs and the rise of 

 worms. Koscnstein has pointed out these circum- 

 stances so well that it is proper to give them in his 

 own words :(14) "The eggs which are deposited 

 by human worms in our intestines are developed, 

 1. when there is a moderate heat; 2. when they 

 are not carried out of the body, which is often pre- 

 vented by the agglutinating mucus of the stomach 

 and intestines, especially when they are situated in 

 the folds of this canal, and when they are not dis- 

 placed by the peristaltic or antiperistaltic motions of 



