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A Case of Stomach Bots in Hogs. 



In Insect Life No. 4, pp. 161 162.(1890) I see a note about Bot-flies infesting hogs. I 

 have a bit of information in the same line that may interest you, although it is some- 

 what meager. 



About a month ago a Mr. Fielder, of this town, butchered two hogs for his own 

 supply of meat. They were apparently healthy and all well. In sticking one of 

 them he noticed the blood was unusually dark colored, and the hog had unusual ten- 

 acity of life. When the intestines were removed the stomach was found to be infested 

 with a " bot worm, just as horses are." The stomach also had some dry substance 

 in it resembling half-chewed cornstalks. The worms had not yet eaten through the 

 coatings of the stomach, although some were nearly through. Mr. Fielder took a 

 large piece of the stomach with the worms attached and kept it for several days. 

 It began to smell bad, and he threw it away. After it had been thrown away I 

 learned of the case. It wassomethingnew tome, and I thought to give you an account 

 of it, but neglected to do so. Had I learned of the case soon enough I should have 

 secured the specimen and sent it to you in alcohol. If the case is of interest to you 

 aud you wish further information, I will learn from Mr. Fielder whatever I can and 

 report to you. — [A. W. Moon, Principal Public School, Port Republic, New Jersey, 

 December 13, 1890. 



Reply.— Your note is very interesting, and I shall be glad to have you investigate 

 the matter a little further. The item in Insect Life which you mention refers not 

 to a stomach bot, but to a grub which ordinarily infests the heads of wild animals, 

 principally deer. Your case is interesting, because, if the information is correct, it 

 will be the only case, so far as I know, in which the true stomach bot has been found 

 in the hog. Hitherto the forms have been found only in the horse, the ass, and the 

 rhinoceros. Inasmuch as no specimens were saved, you can oblige me by getting 

 Mr. Fielder to give you as careful a description of the maggots as possible; and I 

 should like also to have your opinion as to Mr. Fielder's reliability as an observer. 

 He undoubtedly found something, but the question is, were these objects true botfly 

 larvae, or were they stomach worms or intestinal worms of some sort. J am very sorry 

 that specimens were not preserved, as Mr. Fielder's recollection in any event will 

 not be accepted by entomologists as final evidence. — [December Ki, 1890.] 



Case of a Child swallovriiig and passing Grubs infesting Chestnuts. 



A lady living in Providence, Rhode Island, brought me a white worm with an am- 

 ber-yellow head, preserved in alcohol, which she said had been passed by her little 

 girl, 11 years of age. It appears that the child had been sick with some bronchial 

 or similar trouble for about 6 weeks, and the physician had been somewhat perplexed 

 about the case. On the evening of the llith of October the child grew worse, with 

 a feeling of oppression in the chest and sensations of a creeping nature, accompanied 

 by coughing and vomiting. Suspecting that the trouble might be due to Ascarids, a 

 vermifuge (Spigelia and Senna) was admiuistered, and on the morning of the 14th 

 two of the worms were discharged, being found buried in the fteces. 



One of the worms, the one best preserved, was submitted to me and I told the 

 mother that it was probably the acorn or chestnut worm, and asked her if the patient 

 had not eaten some acorns or chestnuts, but she said that the child had not eaten 

 either. On further examination I felt sure the larva was that of a Balaninus. The 

 next day I met the father and also the physician, when the father told me that the 

 child had on the evening of the 17th eaten four boiled chestnuts, and that two of the 

 worms had been found in the patient's stools. 



The parents had been worried about the child and hoped they had found and re- 

 moved the cause of the trouble, but on seeing the physician about three weeks later 

 I learned that the child was still unwell, the trouble (partly a nervous one) not hav- 



