CESTODA 63 



when the Cysticerci had their heads drawn out one by one they 

 still appeared to possess all the elasticity of living bladder 

 worms, displaying those movements of extension which are 

 proper to parasites not yet dead. The hooks were observed 

 regularly disposed on the proboscis, where they formed a double 

 crown, the suckers remaining intact." Perroncito remarked, 

 however, that the Cysticerci showed a coloring tendency 

 towards brown, and he added that " with the aid of two needles 

 it became easy to lacerate the body of the Cysticercus, which 

 appeared to be swollen, and possessed of diminished cohesion 

 of its parts/' It was evident to all eyes, observed Professor 

 Pellizzari, that these statements involved clear contradictions. 

 Yet again, at page 28 of the memoir, Professor Perroncito 

 wrote : " During the past winter I introduced some little slices 

 (fettuccie) of muscle-flesh (8 to 10 millimetres in thickness), 

 infested with Cysticerci into a vessel (cassolina) containing fat 

 at the temperature of 190 to 200 Cent. (374 to 400 Fahr.). 

 At the expiration of ten or fifteen minutes the slices of meat 

 were fried, and the Cysticerci lying at the surface had acquired 

 a light brownish colour, as if they were roasted. By breaking 

 up the slices one could still see the small reddish muscular 

 bundles, whilst the Cysticerci in the middle remained entire 

 and well preserved. Their heads displayed the hooks and 

 suckers regularly distributed." It is certainly singular, as 

 Pellizzari observes, that these Cysticerci, having been thoroughly 

 fried and roasted, should still remain alive and in their normal 

 state ; but the ultimate conclusion at which Perroncito arrived 

 was still more startling, and one which, if it were true, would 

 not fail to create a considerable stir among our officers of health. 

 On reviewing the whole matter Perroncito says : " It appears 

 to me that the melted fat alone of hogs (maiali grandinosi) 

 should be utilised, and I am pleased to reckon the illustrious 

 Gerlach and all other distinguished practitioners to be of the 

 same opinion. Permit me, therefore, being well satisfied also 

 with the results of many other experiments, once more to 

 advance the conclusion that, if it is not certain that the 

 Cysticerci die at from 80 to 100 Centigrade (176 to 212 Fahr.), 

 we are quite sure that they dry up and become completely 

 mummified at 125, 130, and 150 Cent. (257, 268, and 302 

 Fahr.), temperatures which we could easily produce by means 

 of a properly constructed apparatus." 



After remarking upon the serious nature of the conclusion 



