6G8 DESCRIPTION OF TVSNIA CUCUMERINA. 



had an opportunity of examining these specimens, and have con- 

 vinced myself that they belong to T. citcumerina. There are, perhaps, 

 forty to fifty pieces, usually between 100 and 130 mm. in length, 

 and the majority of them still without egg-masses. Unfortunately, 

 I found it impossible to learn anything further regarding the boy 

 Krebs, so that I am unable to decide whether his illness had any 

 connection with the parasite. The supposition of an accidental mis- 

 take, or designed deception, is rendered highly improbable from the 

 circumstances under which the patient lived. 



This case in Halle is, however, not the only one which I can 

 adduce. I owe a second to a communication from Dr. Weinland of 

 Frankfort, whose name I have already so often had occasion to 

 mention with gratitude. The case in question is that of a child 

 thirteen months old, who from time to time voided single proglottides 

 of small size and reddish colour, which were recognised by the attend- 

 ing physician, Dr. Salzmann, and by Weinland as proglottides of 

 Tcenia cucumerina.' 1 Through Dr. A. Schmidt of Frankfort I soon 

 afterwards became acquainted with a third case, and that, too, of a 

 child, only, however, thirteen weeks old. The mother observed a 

 portion, about six inches in length, protruding from the anus, tore it 

 off, and brought it to Dr. Kiister of Cronenberg, through whom it fell 

 into the hands of Schmidt. The head was wanting, but the nature of 

 the joints left no doubt regarding the nature of the worm. 



Since the foregoing communications were published in the first 

 edition of this work, our experience of the occurrence of Tcenia cu- 

 cumerina in children has increased so much, that the cases in 

 question can no longer be regarded as specially rare. According to 

 Krabbe, the worm occurs in man in Denmark, and according to 

 Cobbold, in England, while no fewer than six cases have been brought 

 under my own notice by different physicians. 2 It was always children 

 between nine months and three years old who were infected with 

 this tape-worm. The joints generally issued singly, sometimes spon- 



1 Salzmann has in the meantime himself described this case (Wurtemb. naturw. 

 Jahreshefte, p. 102, 1861 ; Froricp's Neue Notizen, iii., 9, 1861 ; Deutsche Klinik, p. 32, 

 1861). 



2 I have not included among these the " proglottidcs neonati," mentioned in the first 

 edition of this work, which were observed by Kramer (Illustrirt. med. Zcitung, Bd. iii., p. 

 295), who first described them as having a strong resemblance to Tcenia cucumerina. Yet 

 I have convinced myself, by the investigation of the original specimens preserved in the 

 Pathological and Anatomical Collection at Gottingen, that they belong to this worm. 

 The statement that * ' the latter, to the amount of about a teaspoonful, were voided by a 

 newly born child about twelve hours after birth, and before it had received milk," is ex- 

 tremely incredible, and irreconcileable with our present knowledge of the life-history of 

 T. cucumerina. It is much more probable that it was voided by a dog or a cat than from 

 the child in question, which is described as perfectly healthy, and which never voided any 

 more proglottides. 



