110 PARASITIC AMGEBJE OF MAN. 



the rectum of kittens fecal material containing both 

 encysted and motile forms of Entamceba coli and 

 have never been able to produce the least symptom 

 of diarrhoea or dysentery, although 50 per cent, of 

 kittens injected with material containing Entamosba 

 Mstolytica developed dysentery, of which many of 

 them died. I have repeated these injections upon 

 the same animal from 5 to 10 times and in no case 

 was any evidence of intestinal inflammation produced. 



I have made many feeding experiments in which 

 kittens were given milk containing multitudes of 

 encysted and motile forms of Entamceba coli and in 

 not a single instance were any symptoms of diarrhoea 

 or dysentery produced, although the feedings were 

 repeated at frequent intervals. In kittens fed with 

 milk containing Entamceba histolytica, on the other 

 hand, over 65 per cent, developed severe dysentery. 



To one who has carefully followed the growth of 

 our knowledge concerning the amoebge of man it is 

 impossible to doubt that Entamceba coli is a harmless 

 commensal occurring in a very large percentage of 

 healthy individuals and in individuals suffering from 

 diseases in which inflammatory conditions of the in- 

 testine can be excluded. Were this parasite the cause 

 of a form of dysentery, as is still believed by some, 

 practically 50 per cent, of individuals in nearly every 

 locality would suffer from this disease. All of the 



