V. 



THE CULTIVATION OF PARASITIC AMCEB^E. 



MANY authorities have claimed to have cultivated 

 the parasitic amoebae of man, while others have in- 

 sisted that such cultivation has not been accomplished. 

 Anyone studying the literature is struck with the 

 discordant results obtained by different observers, 

 and I believe that it is now generally accepted by 

 zoologists, who have thoroughly studied these organ- 

 isms, that none of the parasitic amoeba? of man have 

 been cultivated. While it is not at all difficult to 

 cultivate free-living forms, it is very doubtful, to say 

 the least, if any of the amoebse which have become 

 parasitic can be cultivated by the methods at present 

 in vogue. 



It is admitted by all that amoebae have been 

 cultivated from the feces of patients suffering 

 from dysentery, but it cannot be admitted that 

 these amoebae are parasitic forms; in reality they 

 are free-living amoeba? which have reached the 

 intestine in food or drink, and have simply passed 

 through it in an encysted condition. If cultures be 

 made from the feces containing these free- 

 living species they will develop if suitable bacteria 



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