244 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



journal sent you by oui- Society, therefore I sliall devote the rest of 

 my remarks to the pig-worm. 



This worm when seen in the fat surrounding the kidney is of a 

 greyish-brown colour, with a red head (the colour of the head is 

 caused by the fresh blood). It is about Ih inch in length, the male 

 being somewhat less than the female. It is found in the fat in a free 

 and encysted state, the encysted state being its final stage of existence. 

 When once it becomes encysted the solid parts of the worm ultimately 

 disappear, leaving a greyish-brown fluid containing thousands of eggs. 

 No. 17 are the eggs when the worms (generally from three to six 

 found in a cyst) are beginning to break up. No. 18 are the eggs 

 when the worms have entirely disappeared. The cyst from which 

 this sijecimen was taken was of about If of an inch in length and 

 ^ an inch diameter. By carefully examining this specimen you will 

 see that the contents of the egg-case are already taking on the charac- 

 teristic features of yoimg worms. Probably in a few days more these 

 young worms would soon have been so far developed as to undertake 

 an independent existence in the flesh of their host. As several pigs 

 have died lately from some mysterious disease, it is possible that this 

 worm or its brood may be the cause, and I think I shall be put in pos- 

 session of facts which in a few days may clear up the whole history 

 of this parasite. If physiologists had not settled the Trichinfe theory, 

 I think this worm would have played an important part in giving 

 conclusive evidence as to how the worms might get into the flesh of 

 an animal. Here we have got a worm already in the flesh of the 

 animal, it becomes encysted, leaving its eggs to be hatched ; when 

 hatched where do they go to ? evidently into or through the substance 

 of the body of their host. 



It is just j)ossible that some pigs may survive the irritation such a 

 swarm of young worms must set up ; others again may die from peri- 

 tonitis, hence the sudden deaths amongst the pigs. In the Trichina3 

 theory as at present accepted by physiologists, an animal must eat the 

 meat containing the encapsuled trichinae. In twenty-foui- hom-s the 

 capsules burst, liberating the young trichinae. In forty-eight hours 

 the young trichina has become a sexually mature worm coniaining 

 eggs and young embryos. Then these young trichinae must pass through 

 the walls of the intestinal tract to get to the muscle and then become 

 encysted. Which of these two cases is the most feasible ? 



Examine this female worm, you will find its intestinal and uterine 

 canals looped up into a series of convolutions. The trichina has the 

 same characteristic feature. However, I merely throw out the hint to 

 induce others to investigate, and not be content with the opinion of 

 compilers. 



Trusting you will excuse this freedom I have taken in asking you 

 to identify the various specimens I have induced our Society to for- 

 ward you, 



I am, yours very truly, 



Wm. Moreis, L.F.P.G.S. 



P.S. — I am a subscriber to your ' Monthly Microscopical Journal,' 

 and also to the ' Quarterly Microscopical Joiu*nal.' 



W. M. 



