A SPOROZOON {SARCOCYSTIS, S P. ) FROM 

 THE HEART OF A COW IN CALCUTTA. 



By G. C. ChatterjeE, M.B., Assisiani Professor of Pathology 

 Calcutta Medical College. 



In searching for Pirosoma in a blood-smear from the heart of a 

 cow killed m Calcutta, I lately found numerous sickle-shaped 

 bodies which were at first sight very puzzling. These bodies took 

 the Leisiiman stam, with which the smear was stained very well 

 One end however, took no stain, this end being pointed The 

 other end was rounded and stained deeply, taking the blue stain 

 in this end a not very definite nucleus could be made out and a 

 number of red-stained chromatic dots. The middle of the body 

 stained red deeply. The appearance of these bodies suggested that 

 they were spores of some Coccidium, and on referring to Minchin's 

 (A) account of the Sporozoa in I^ankester's Treatise on Zoology 

 the resemblance between them and the spores of Sarcocystis tenella 

 [op. cit., p. 305, fig. 122) was at once evident. 



In part of the smear a considerable number of straight forms 

 were seen, and in addition to these, two varieties of spores could 

 be made out, being differentiated from one another by the arrange- 

 ment of the chromatic dots. In a few cases the capsule was found 

 to have burst and the contents were escaping 



On making a section of the heart muscle of the same animal as 

 that from which the smear had been made, and on staining this 

 section with thionin and eosin, my supposition that the bodies 

 were spores of some Sporozoon was confirmed, for numerous cysts 

 were found occupying the substance of the muscle. These took 

 the blue stam, while the rest of the tissue took the eosin On 

 examining the sections under a high power, I found that the cysts 

 occupied the substance of the muscle fibres, displacing the nucleus 

 A distinct capsule was a noticeable feature of the cyst No fine 

 radiation, however, such as is found round the capsule of Sarcocystis 

 tenella, could be detected. The identity between the spores 

 numbers ot which occurred in each cyst, and those seen in the smea^ 

 was evident. The spores were found grouped in loculi, but no 

 distinct alveolar partition could be made out. All the cysts were 

 found ^^""^ ^^^^^ °^ development, and no intermediary stages were 



Representatives of the Sarcosporidia are not very uncommonly 

 found m the striated muscle-fibres of Mammals, especially in those 

 ot the pig and the sheep. That found in the sheep goes by the 

 name ot Sarcocystis tenella. One has been found by Hessling in th© 

 skeletal muscle of Bos taurus. VuiUemin (B) reports a ?ase of 



