46 Oxynris vermimdaris 



(3) That the presence of threadworms may cause a catarrhal 

 condition therein. 



(4) That infection of the appendix with threadworms causes pain 

 which may simulate that of appendicitis. 



He states that 19 % of healthy appendices of children harbour 

 0. vermicularis. Metchnikofi (1901) records a case of Trichocephalids 

 in the appendix, and the same author describes three cases of appendi- 

 citis which he holds were due to the presence of Ascaris Iwnbricoides. 

 Girard (1901) also reports a case of appendicitis in which Trichocephalids 

 were found attached to the mucosa of the appendix. Hamilton Russell 

 (1901) records an interesting case of appendicular colic which he holds 

 was due to the presence of 0. vermicularis in large numbers. The lumen 

 of the appendix was dilated, the mucosa thickened and congested, and 

 there was a considerable excess of lymphoid tissue. On inquiry, it was 

 ascertained that all the children of the family were infected with thread- 

 worms. Von Moty (1902) attempts to make a distinction between the 

 characters of the lesions excited by the different varieties of parasites, 

 and finds that Ascaris lumbricoides seems to be more often associated 

 with gangrenous appendicitis, while Ozyuris and Trichocephalus lead to 

 chronic inflammatory changes. 



Erdmann (1904) found threadworms in 4 out of 250 cases of 

 appendicitis in children. In this case, however, it is probable that 

 a thorough examination of the contents of the appendix under the 

 microscope would have revealed a much higher percentage. 



Hoepfl (1904) in Germany found that cases of appendicitis showed 

 21 % of the removed appendices to contain Oxyuris. 



Patterson (1906) found 0. vermicularis in 8 cases, and A. lumbricoides 

 in 10 cases of diseased appendices. Sprengel (1906) gives Oppe's figures 

 — threadworms found six times in 60 cases of appendicitis — and those of 

 Rostewsew, who found 0. vermicularis three times in the examination of 

 163 normal appendices. 



Still (1909) records a case where 111 threadworms were found in 

 a single appendix. In children between the ages of 2-12 years he found 

 that 32 % were infected with Oxyuris, and that two-thirds of these 

 worms were foimd in the appendix. 



Brumpt (1910), who is an authority on this subject, goes very fully 

 into the question in his Precis de Parasitologic. He examined 800 

 appendices obtained from autopsies at Paris, and found Oxyuris infection 

 present in 3-5 % of the appendices. In the appendices of children the 

 percentage was about four times as great, or roughly twice out of every 



