54 PARASITES OF MAN 



the bladder, then powerful diuretics and medicated injections 

 would probably prove serviceable ; but since the entozoa reside 

 in the blood we must be careful not to increase the patient's 

 troubles. In the case of intestinal worms the most powerful 

 parasiticides may be prescribed without let or hindrance ; but 

 that drug must be a truly subtle worm-poison which, when 

 taken into the system, shall kill the blood-flukes without 

 exerting any injurious effects upon the parasite bearer. 



When, in 1872, I published my lectures on helminthology, I 

 remarked that it was not improbable that, ere long, many 

 more cases of Bilharzia disease would be brought to light. 

 What has been added in this respect is chiefly due to the 

 researches of Sonsino, but a case of some interest has been 

 recorded comparatively recently by Dr W. K. Hatch, stationed 

 at Bombay. From the particulars furnished it seems evident 

 that the victim, an English gentleman, contracted the disease 

 by drinking water, either in Arabia or in Egypt, in which 

 latter country, however, he had only sojourned fifteen days. 

 From the patient's statements it appears that, haematuria is 

 frequent amongst the Arabs. Incidentally, Dr Hatch men- 

 tions that Dr Vandyke Carter had informed him that, so early 

 as the year 1862, he (Dr Carter) had detected the embryos of 

 Bilharzia in the urine of an African boy admitted to the 

 Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy Hospital. The treatment employed by 

 Dr Hatch was that recommended by Dr Harley in his well- 

 known memoir. Having myself energetically opposed Dr 

 Harley's views on pathological grounds, I am not surprised to 

 see it stated that Dr Harley's method of treatment effected " no 

 diminution in the number of the parasites/' As I said in my 

 lectures (now out of print) it is evident that " nature " in view 

 of moderating the haematuria by the formation of plugs at the 

 ulcerated points of the mucous surface sets up the artificial 

 barriers above referred to ; therefore if you catheterise and 

 employ medicated injections you do more harm than good. 

 As to the administration of belladonna internally, in view of 

 retarding development, or of destroying the parasite, no good 

 can be expected from this source. I certainly obtained better 

 results with buchu and bearberry (Arctostaphylos). 



In the matter of sanitation it is quite evident, from the 

 foregoing data, that the danger of infection cannot arise from 

 the drinking of impure water, as ordinarily understood. The 

 embryonal larvae would be killed by an admixture of sewage. 



