196 



LEISURE-TIME STUDIES. 



caused a fatal epidemic, on the Continent especially, through 

 its development in excessive numbers. This little worm- 

 like parasite was first discovered in the dissecting-room of 

 St. Bartholomew's Hospital. The circumstances of its dis- 

 covery have been frequently repeated in anatomical rooms 

 by the observation that very small hardened bodies are to be 

 sometimes met with embedded amongst the muscular tissue 

 of the human subj ect. When one of these 

 little bodies is carefully examined, it is 

 found to consist of a little sac or bag of 

 oval shape (Fig. 23), containing within it 

 a little worm coiled up in a spiral fashion. 

 These sacs attain a length of about the 

 T T oth of an inch or so, and if they have 

 existed within the muscles for a length- 

 ened period, they will be found to be 

 somewhat limy in structure ; the presence 

 of this mineral implying degeneration of 

 the sac and its tenant. When the first 

 trichinae were examined and named by 

 Professor Owen, their life-history and importance, as regards 



the human economy, were 

 unknown and undreamt of. 

 But the occurrence on the 

 Continent of certain my- 

 sterious cases of illness and 

 the careful investigation of 

 such cases by medical men, 

 led to the recognition of 

 the fact that this tiny worm, 

 which, in its fully grown 

 condition (Figs. 24 and 25), 

 does not exceed a mere 

 fraction of an inch, may 



FIG. S4.-1 china (female), magnified. nevertheless> through ^ de _ 



development in large numbers, prove a source of fatal 

 disease to man. In proof of this fact we may quote Dr. 





FIG. 23. Trichina im- 

 bedded in muscle, 

 magnified. 



