430 ENTERIC EFFERENT 



In 0. appendiculatum at the posterior end of the two 24-cell moniliform 

 glands, however, a number of the cells of each organ seem loosened from the 

 series; opposite these I am unable to find any outlet whatever; that is to say, 

 the organs appear as if in a deteriorated condition. See gl dxt, gl snst, Fig. 3. 



Perhaps causally connected with this is the extraordinary fact that the 

 examination of hundreds of females of Oncholairnium appendiculatum over 

 a number of years has failed to disclose a single healthy specimen. Every 

 female is attacked by a disease that often results in necrosis of the posterior 

 portion of the nema. (See section Uritis, p. 240). The disease (uritis) 

 breaks out on the tail in the shape of minute pustules having an internal 

 radiated, or linear and "parallel-fibered,"' structure, pst, Fig. 3, sometimes 

 extending forward for a considerable distance into the nema, in extreme 

 cases, as far forward as the vulva. There may be one, two, three, or even as 

 many as a dozen of these pustules irregularly scattered on the posterior part 

 of the female. The pustules are minute, exude, inter alia, an insoluble 

 material, and frequently exhibit surface bacteria, though it seems doubtful 

 if the bacteria thus far seen are connected \vith the disease. The uniform 

 occurrence of this disease in females of Oncholaimium appendiculatum may 

 perhaps be connected with the deteriorated (?) condition of the demanian 

 system. On a later page attention will be called to the fact that other on- 

 cholaims possessing the demanian system have what appear to be similar 

 diseases of the posterior extremity; but in none of them is there any such 

 extraordinary condition as in 0. appendiculatum, where examination has 

 failed to disclose a single adult female free from uritis. 



Enteric Efferent. Against the idea that in Adoncholaimus fuscus the 

 anterior junction of the demanian system with the intestine is merely a hold- 

 fast, as suggested by deMan, it may be urged that of other elongated organs 

 known to lie loose in the body cavity of nemas, none are secured in this 

 particular way to the intestine. Why an exception in this case? If it is 

 merely a matter of security, it would seem more in harmony with known 

 nemic anatomy that the attachment be to the body wall rather than to the 

 intestine, and especially that it be effected along a lateral chord. It is not 

 unheard of for a nemic organ of this general form to be attached to a lateral 

 chord. 



From a mechanical point of view the idea that the connection of the 

 demanian system with the intestine is merely a holdfast seems to have all the 

 less to recommend it in the case of the monodelphic species, such as pristiurus 

 and serpens, where this connection is so far caudad that such a holdfast seems 

 rather needless. 



DeMan's idea that his main tube is simply and only fastened to the intestine 

 seems not borne out by facts; and his figure 25, if I understand it, admits of a 

 different interpretation. I find his "main vessel" anteriorly to be hollow to 



