Animal Parasites Found in the Peritoneum. 583 



Railliet in dogs, sometimes in association with ascites, and in one case the 

 liquid obtained by tapping contained large numbers of cysts), and fin- 

 ally the Pentastomnm denticulatnm (fomid by Roche-Fontaine in large 

 numbers enclosed in cysts). 



In the Revue Veterinaire (1906, 141), there was described by 

 Sendrail & Cuille under the term "Hydrops ascites parasitarius, " a 

 disease of the dog caused by worms of unknown origin. The disease 

 occurs occasionally in the neighborhood of Toulouse, one or two cases 

 coming under observation in the clinic every year. The disease dif- 

 fers from ascites clinically only in that the serous liquid in the per- 

 itoneum contains numerous cyst-like bodies which vary in size from 

 a pin's head to a pea, are of variable shape and easily crushed, and 

 which on standing separate out into a pasty mass from the otherwise 

 clear liquid. They are motile. The disease may be transmitted exper- 

 imentally by the introduction of living cysts into the peritoneal cavity 

 of dogs. 



According to Sendrail & Cuille it is an abnormal form of the 

 cyst of the Mesocestoides lineatus which is fre(iuently found in the in- 

 testine of dogs in the neighborhood of Toulouse. The numerous cases 

 observed in the past by Neumann and classed as echinococcosis should 

 possibly have been described as this disease. 



