PARASITES OF MAN. 297 



Lit.^Leidy, J., in Proceed. Pliilad. Acad. Nat. Sci. for 1850, 



(p. 117.) 

 31. — Filaria trachealis, Bristowe. 



Syn. — Nematoideum trachcale, Bristowe and Rainey. 



Eemarks. — Minute worms, each measuring about ^^ of an inch, 



were found by Rainey in the trachea and larynx, (post mortem.) 



Their matui-e condition is unknown. 



Lit. — Bristowe and Rainey, in the Path. Soc. Trans, for 1855. 



32. — Filaria Loa, Guyot. 



SjTi. — F. oculi, Gervais and Van Beneden ; F. lacrymalis, Dubini ; 

 F. me dine lis is, Gmehu ; Dracunculus oculi, Diesing; D. Loa, 

 Cobbold. 



Remarks. — This worm is found beneath the conjunctiva of negroes. 

 It is rather more than IJiu. in length ; being particularly 

 abundant in the Gaboon region of "Western Africa. It has also 

 been seen in Brazil and other countries. When the worm 

 voluntarily quits the eye, a natural c\u'e of the disease is 

 thus produced. 



Lit. — Fully noticed in the standard works of Leiickai-t, Kiichen- 

 meister, Davaine, Moquin-Tandon, and especially Gervais and 

 Van Beneden. The descriptions are chiefly taken from the 

 WTitings of Lestrille, Guyot, and Arrachart. 



33. — Dracunculus medinensis, Cobbold. 



Syn. — Filaria dracunculus, Bremser ; F. medinensis, Gmelin ; 

 Dracunculus, Lister; D. Persarum, Kaempfer ; Furia, Modeer; 

 Gordius, Linnsus ; Vermis, Grundler. 



Intermediate Host. — The Russian traveller and helminthologist 

 Fedschenko discovered that small freshwater crustaceans, of the 

 genus Cyclops, harboui' the larvce of the Guinea-worm. In the 

 fi'ee embryo stage these larva3 perforate the abdominal segments, 

 and thence proceed to coil themselves within the limbs of the 

 crustacean bearers. 



Remarks. — The Guinea-worm disease, so common in India and 

 other Oriental countries, is undoubtedly the same disorder as the 

 Dracontiasis of Plutarch. It corresponds also with the 

 Israehtish endemic affection described by Moses as due to fieiy 

 serpents. Kiichenmeister's learned historical narrative leaves 

 no room for doubt on this point. The older writers frequently 

 confounded nernatoid worms with serpents. As regards the 

 mode of infection, there can be little doubt that the advanced 

 larvae of Dracunculus are swallowed with potable waters, and 

 thus pass into the human stomach. Thence the female worms 

 migrate to the surface of the body, in which situation they 

 rapidly grow to maturity. The female pax'asite in its sexually 

 mature state has been very fully anatomised by Professor 

 Bastian. The embryos have likewise been carefully studied by 

 Bastian, Busk, Carter, Fedschenko, Leuckart, Robin, Davaine, 

 Lewis, and myself. 



Lit. — All standard works, especially that of Leuckart, which 

 offers an admirable resume of the whole subject, including an 

 exhaustive summary of Fedschenko's wi'itings. Extensive 

 hterary references are given in Davaine's well-known work, and 

 also in the Bibliography appended to my introductory treatise. 



[to be continued.] 



