Biology of I. ricinus 313 



Ireland. Kossel found ricinus in N. Wales in redwater districts, and 

 specimens have reached me from various redwater localities in Ireland 

 and England, having been removed, in some instances, from cattle 

 suffering from piroplasmosis. Stockman (1908) also notes the associa- 

 tion of this disease with the presence of ricinus in England. 



Note: Schaudinn (1904, p. 428) records in three lines that a blood 

 parasite of lizards {Karyolysus) develops in a mite ("Milbe"). Doflein 

 (1909, p. 331), Blanchard (1909) and Christophers (1906, 1907) quote 

 Schaudinn as having observed the development of Karyolysus lacertarum 

 in /. ricinus and that the tick transmits the parasite. None of these 

 authors gives a reference. Prof. Doflein, who referred me to the passage 

 from Schaudinn above cited, kindly informs me that he believes 

 Schaudinn told him his "Milbe" was ricinus. In view of Schau- 

 dinn's death it will be necessary to repeat the investigations he refers 

 to quite casually in his paper since we can draw no conclusions from 

 the little he says on the subject. 



Effects of the bite of Ixodes ricinus : The following cases of injury 

 consequent upon the bite of this tick are recorded in the literature 

 which we have sifted. Perroncito (1901, p. 562) cites earlier authors 

 like Ercolani, de Geer and Dubini as stating that psoriasis-like eruptions, 

 or gangrenous pustules may follow upon the bites of ricinus. It is 

 possible, however, that /. hexagonus or /. canisuga are also concerned, 

 as earlier determinations of species are open to doubt. We add the 

 following instances : Dubreuilh (1838) cites several cases of phlegmonous 

 inflammation following ricinus bites in man. Raspail (1840), Cosson 

 (1856), Moquin-Tandon (1862), Despres (1867) and Liegois all record 

 ill effects of ricinus bites in man. Sangalli (1884) records the case of 

 a boy who was bitten on the scrotum and soon after suffered violent 

 pain with swelling, heat and redness of the part. According to 

 Eaymondaud, of Limoges, grave effects may follow the bite. Johannessen 

 (1885) describes a case in a boy where the tick's body was removed but 

 the capitulum remained embedded in the skin at the back of the head. 

 Swelling followed at the point of injury, accompanied by headache, 

 stiffness and cramp in the muscles of the one side, partial loss of memory, 

 and polyuria; the pupils became dilated, etc. The boy made a slow 

 recovery. Blanchard (1891, p. 689) states that accidents of a grave 

 character occasionally follow ricinus bite, the wound serving as a centre 

 from which infection may spread to the rest of the body. Mauvezin (cited 



n. i. ' 21 



