HISTORICAL REVIEW. 13 



In a third paper (Eailliet, Moussu, and Henry^ 1911c) these 

 authors report better success in their tests of a new series of sub- 

 stances, including particularly tartar emetic, urotropin, atoxyl, and 

 ethereal extract of male fern. 



The sheep used were for the most part heavily infested and had 

 an intense cirrhosis and often a perforation of the capsule of Glis- 

 son, the flukes which caused the perforation escaping to the peri- 

 toneal cavity. Many had a mixed infection with Fasciola hepatica 

 and Dicrocoeliwn lanceatum. 



Tartar emetic and urotropin proved to be inefficacious. Atoxyl 

 produced the evacuation of degenerated F. hepatica in one heifer. 



The tests with ethereal extract of male fern were more satisfac- 

 tory. An abstract is given of Alessandrini's (1908) experiments with 

 male fern, rioting this as the only work of the sort of which they 

 were aware. Their own tests were made on five sheep, three others 

 being kept as checks. The sheep were given 5 grams of ethereal 

 extract in 25 c. c. of oil. Autopsy was made immediately after 

 death. The experiments are as follows : 



1. Sheep received one dose and died 12 hours later. Three hundred and 

 ninety F. hepatica and numerous D. lanceatum in liver; all alive. 



2. Sheep received two doses at 16-hour intervals and was killed in extremis 

 24 hours after the second dose. The biliary canals contained numerous live 

 D. lanceatum and 55 F. hepatica, 4 of them being alive and the rest degen- 

 erated and of a yellowish-green color. The gall bladder contained 142 F. 

 hepatica,, all dead, though only 3 showed the same alteration as the preceding. 

 The small intestine contained 16 degenerated specimens and the large intestine 

 contained 10 dead but not degenerated specimens. 



3. Sheep received three doses at 16 and 24 hour intervals. Killed 3 days 

 after the last dose. Biliary canals contained several live D. lanceatum. 

 There were 9 F. hepatica, all degenerated, in the gall bladder, but none in the 

 biliary canals or in the intestine. 



4. Sheep received four doses at 24, 24, and 48 hour intervals. Died 7 hours 

 after the last dose. Biliary canals contained numerous live D. lanceatum. 

 There were 5 degenerated F. hepatica in the gall bladder, none in the biliary 

 canal, 1 degenerated specimen in the large intestine, and about 50 live speci- 

 mens in the peritoneal cavity, associated with peritonitis. 



5. Sheep received four doses at 48, 24, and 24 hour intervals. Killed 3 days 

 after the last dose. Biliary canals contained several D. lanceatum, all living. 

 There were no F. hepatica in the bile ducts, the gall bladder, or the intestine. 



The three check sheep were killed at the end of the experiment and showed 

 178, 85, and 497 F. hepatica, respectively, and numerous D. lanccatum, all 

 living. 



The degeneration undergone by F. hepatica under the influence of male 

 fern, and to a lesser extent of atoxyl, begins at the posterior extremity and 

 progresses anteriorly, some individuals being green and flabby at the posterior 

 end, while the cephalic end was still capable of movement. 



They conclude that male fern is a satisfactory treatment for in- 

 fection with F. hepatica if taken before there are irremediable 

 lesions and at least four doses of 5 grams each administered. This 



