CESTODA 79 



Mahommedan syce, and had probably eaten the meat in a very 

 raw state, developed a Tcsnia mediocanellata in about three 

 months. 



" My own sweeper ate this cyst-infected beef regularly two 

 or three times a week for some months. He cooked it well 

 generally as an ordinary stew, and has never shown a sign of 

 having tapeworm. 



(e Into the food of a boy of low Hindoo caste, but who had 

 never eaten beef, two scolices of Cysticercus were surreptitiously 

 introduced, the result being that, between three or four months 

 afterwards, he applied for some tapeworm medicine." 



[The two successful experiments here reported are evidently 

 the same as those that I have referred to (p. 72) as having 

 been performed by Dr Oliver, of the Royal Artillery, stationed 

 at Jullundur. The report continues as follows :] 



" Ttenia mediocanellata is very common amongst the Mus- 

 sulman population of the Punjab, and from reliable sources I 

 am informed that the lower classes amongst them are in the 

 regular habit of eating half-cooked beef ; indeed, prefer it so, 

 and it is amongst these people that tapeworm is so prevalent. 



" But it is not only thorough cooking that is required to 

 guard soldiers in India from the ill effects of eating measly 

 meat ; there is want of cleanliness in the general arrange- 

 ments of the kitchens and serving of meals, which must offer 

 great facilities for the introduction into the food of Cysti- 

 cercus. 



" Barrack cooks, unless constantly looked after, are utterly 

 careless as to the washing of chopping blocks, tables, dishes, 

 &c. The dish or pot cover on which the meat is placed when 

 raw is pften used without washing for serving the piece up 

 for dinner, and I have myself picked up a Cysticercus from the 

 table on which a cook was preparing food. The dangers too 

 of the parasite being conveyed by the cook's unwashed hands 

 to the plates in which meals are served, and the common 

 practice of using the same knife for cutting up meat, and 

 afterwards, without washing it, for other culinary purposes, 

 must not be overlooked. With good selection and careful 

 feeding there seems to be every probability that Cysticercus 

 would soon almost or completely disappear from our Commis- 

 sariat cattle. If they were entirely stall-fed and watered from 

 wells there could scarcely be a possibility of infection after 

 their purchase. 



