286 ANIMAL PARASITES. 



situated in these places may give rise to a tough, dry, ansematous 

 consistence of the liver, or perhaps even to abscesses. 



Symptomatology with reference to diagnosis. The direct indi- 

 cations of the disorder are to he sought in the uropoetic system, 

 especially in the urine itself. Causeless hsematurias are sus- 

 picious, especially in consumptive individuals. Perhaps the 

 essential hsematuria of tropical countries, such as the West 

 Indies and British India, are due to this cause. The diagnosis 

 can only be made perfectly certain during life when eggs are 

 found in the bloody urine, and in other evacuations, as was 

 done by Bilharz. Data are also furnished for the diagnosis 

 by the not uncommon pyelitis, or other disorders of the blad- 

 der, by the acute exacerbations of certain disorders of the 

 bladder and kidneys, as well as by an indefinite illness, with 

 occasional disturbances in the urinary secretion, and, in severe 

 cases, perhaps even enlargement of the kidneys. Frequently the 

 Distoma may of themselves produce a severe, acute disorder, or 

 catarrh of the pelvis of the kidney, accompanied by a uniform, 

 blackish-red hypersemia of the renal substance, without any 

 other change. The most usual disturbances, however, belong to 

 the province of chronic disturbances in the urinary system, such 

 as ursemia, &c. But we may also suppose a putrescent infection 

 of the mass of the blood in consequence of the death of Distoma 

 in the blood of the portal vein, or a transference of the eggs and 

 embryos into the most remote vessels, amongst which we may 

 even mention the left ventricle. 



The seasons of the year appear to be not without influence 

 upon the frequency of the worm ; it is more abundant from June 

 to August, and more rare in September, October, and January, 

 which is, probably, connected with the quality of the food, &c., 

 at different seasons. 



Therapeutics. According to Griesinger, the medical man has 

 to bear in mind and answer the two following questions : 



1. How do the Entozoa penetrate into the body ? and what 

 articles of diet facilitate this ? Griesinger thinks that in 

 this respect three descriptions of food are particularly sus- 

 picious : , the unfiltered water of the Nile ; b f the bread, grain, 

 and dates; and c, probably to the greatest extent, the fishes 

 which are used in a half-putrid state =Physich. 



2. To administer anthelmintics against this disorder. These 

 must be of a nature to cure the complaints mentioned, and 



