447 



repletiou. The increase of the grannies takes place likewise in the blood, which in 

 the last stage of the disease contains an infinite number of them both in the plasma 

 and in the greater pai't of the globules. 



Other tissues are often invaded by these granules, and also some cells of the peri- 

 tracheal tissue, together with portions of the epithelium of the silk-bearing glands ; 

 the partial accumulation of these granules and their powerful refraction of light are 

 the cause of the whitish specks that are seen with the naked eye on the aforesaid 

 tissues, as has already been remarked. When the disease is far advanced * • » 

 the granules are sometimes deposited under the neurilemma and under the sarco- 

 lemma, and under those very parts of the nerves and muscles where the capillary 

 terminations of the trachere are found. The membranes of the genital organs and 

 the outer coating of the stomach are also invaded by them. In this stage the inter- 

 cellular substance of the various tissues seems to lose its connective power, or to be 

 dissolved, since entire cells of the adipose tissue, of the derma, and the tracheal 

 epithelium are then found floating in the blood. The filling up with granules con- 

 tributes in part to the loosening of the cells, which soon become lacerated and dis- 

 charge their contents into the blood; thus we find in the blood fat globules (see 

 Fig. 1, e), crystals of urate of ammonium, fragments of cells, and masses of proto- 

 plasm. 



When the disease has advanced thus far the mortification of parts of the tracheae 

 and the adipose tissue begins; this maybe recognized by the dark spots, similar to 

 those found in a worm affected with the disease known as flaccidity. 



The alterations of the anhistous coat of the stomach are deserving of special atten- 

 tion ; this coat, in a worm affected with the grasserie, is very much thickened, and 

 is composed, as it is in a flaccid worm, of many superposed strata. If the stomach 

 is partly or entirely empty of leaves the anhistous mass occupies a part or the whole 

 of the cavitj', forming a coagulum containing a strongly alkaline liquid, in which 

 micrococci are frequently found, and sometimes also other bacteria, although there 

 18 no reason for suspecting a complication with flaccidity. * * * 



The anhistous ceat continues in the c;ecum and in the rectum, where it incloses the 

 minute particles of dark brown leaf, in the shape of large hard masses, of which the 

 worm sometimes succeeds in ridding itself, and then these masses, being inclosed by 

 the anhistous coat, remain attached to the anus. It is not unusual to see worms 

 dragging after them three or four and even more frecal masses attached to each other 

 in the form of a chain. Both in the liquid contents of the stomach and in the excre- 

 ment large prismatic crystals of ammonium magnesium phosphate are found, to- 

 gether with crystalline concretions of leucine. 



According as the disease attacks the worm at a more or less advanced stage of its 

 existence, the renal vessels are more or less cretaceous, yet the opacity or the en- 

 gorgement with crystals of these vessels does not form a pathological sj^mptom of the 

 grasserie but constitutes a normal physiological phenomenon. 



Interesting is the observation that the yellow spots on the skin of a diseased worm 

 are caused by numerous needle-shaped crystals, of a very deep yellow color, which are 

 found in conglomerated masses under the epidermis. These crystals are similar to 

 those found in the renal vessels of worms inclosed in their cocoons, or which have 

 been for a short time in the chrysalis state, and hence are to be considered as produced 

 by respiration. 



In cases ot very intense grasserie chrysalides affected by the disease are constantly 

 found. Whetber the grasserie attacks the worm near its fifth molt, and continues 

 after the molt is ended, or whether the chrysalis itself is attacked by it, the latter 

 never develops into a moth. A chrysalis in the earlier stages of the grasserie pre- 

 sents no external symptoms by which the diseased condition can be recognized. 

 Soon, however, it loses its natural rigidity and becomes flabby ; the internal organs 

 are gradually converted into a brown liquid, which gushes out when the slightest 

 lesion takes place. This is the reason why cocoons coming from broods of worms 

 3329— :N^o. 11 2 



