LEYDENIA GEMMIPARA SCHAUDINN. 387 



According to Golgi, the spores are most susceptible to 

 quinin, and the mature forms, before the beginning of the 

 process of segmentation, are somewhat less so, and the en- 

 doglobular, juvenile forms still less so. The crescentic 

 bodies are considered as entirely insensitive to the action 

 of quinin. The parasites altered by the action of quinin 

 are designated as " quinin-varieties." It is generally ac- 

 cepted that quinin is a specific fatal poison for the malarial 

 parasites (Binz). Quinin certainly exerts a curative effect, 

 and, according to some observers, given in small doses, it 

 is also of prophylactic utility. 



In explanation of spontaneous recovery from malaria 

 Metschnikoff considers phagocytosis a most important 

 factor. Probably this plays a not insignificant role, but 

 other influences, besides, must certainly be taken into con- 

 sideration. As has been mentioned, in every case of malaria 

 a number of normally developed parasites regularly do 

 not undergo sporulation. The remaining sterile elements 

 are still visible in the blood for from twenty -four to forty- 

 eight hours, when they undergo degeneration. Upon what 

 this sterility depends is not known. It may, however, 

 readily contribute to the process of recovery, should a 

 considerable number of the parasites not undergo propa- 

 gation. Further, the fever itself, as in the bacterial 

 diseases, is believed to exert an injurious influence upon 

 the parasites. 



LEYDENIA GEMMIPARA SCHAUDINN. 



In connection with the protozoa of dysentery and of 

 malaria mention must be made of an observation by 

 v. Leyden, who found an organism in the sterile ascites 

 fluid obtained from two patients suffering from carcinoma. 

 This organism is an ameba > -which the discoverer investi- 

 gated in conjunction with the zoologist Schaudinn. It is 

 spherical or irregular in shape, and from 3 to 36 // long. In 

 hot weather it retains its motility for four or five hours with- 

 out the employment of a warm stage. The ectoplasm sends 

 out pseudopods, in whose formation the entoplasm also 

 soon takes part. The latter possesses a honeycomb struc- 

 ture, and contains yellowish, refractive granules, perhaps 

 hemoglobin derived from the inclosure of red blood-cor- 



