ECHTNOCOCCUS ALTRICIPARIENS. 207 



occurs more frequently and extensively inland than on the 

 coasts, so that, for example, in Sandfell-sogn, Dr. Schleissner 

 found 2 3 members of each family suffering from. it. On the 

 whole one eighth of all the cases of illness occurring there are 

 referable to this plague, and Thorstensohn thinks that every 

 seventh living human being in Iceland suffers from Echinococci, 

 which even according to Schleissner is no exaggeration. More- 

 over, the female sex is much more liable than the male to be 

 attacked by this disorder, and the abundance of the Echinococci 

 increases with age, men being most frequently attacked by 

 Echinococcus between their thirtieth and fortieth, and women 

 between their fortieth and fiftieth years. 



A very interesting case is that communicated by Thorstensohn 

 to Schleissner, and given by the latter in his work. I shall 

 reproduce it here, almost as a model of a history of a case of 

 Echinococcus altricipariens } 



" Case from Dr. Thorstensohn, of Reikjavik. A boy, of four 

 years old, had suffered for several months with a swelling of the 

 right side, and afterwards became dropsical. He had frequently 

 evacuated worms, both thread-worms and ascarides, and also 

 others of a less common form. On his visit, Thorstensohn found 

 a considerable anasarca, so that the whole body weighed sixty 

 pounds. In the right side there was a fluctuating swelling of 

 the size of a child's head. This was opened, when there issued 

 from it a quantity of thin fetid matter, as well as a great 

 number of hydatids of the size of a pigeon's egg. These were 

 roundish, with a tail towards one side. (This was certainly the 

 remains of the stem on which the vesicle had been sitting.) 

 When they were put into lukewarm water they exhibited 

 a distinct movement, especially as they contracted and ex- 

 panded themselves, nearly as the Stincus marinus moves in the 

 sea. After a purgative of calomel and rhubarb, a number of 

 thread-worms and ascarides were removed, together with some 

 gray worms rather more than an inch long, and thicker 

 than the common ascarides (probably, Anchylostomum duodenale, 

 Kiich.), besides some hydatids. The wound was kept open, 



1 I am indebted for this to the kind intervention of Professor Eschricht, of Copen- 

 hagen, who had the goodness to write, on purpose, to Dr. Thomson, who is just 

 engaged in the translation of Schleissner's work, ' Island fra et laegevi deuska beligt 

 Synspunkt,' and who, in return, was so good as to translate it and send it to Professor 

 Eschricht for my use. 



