486 PERITONITIS. 



ovoid, or elongated, and translucid or opalescent. They are some 

 millimetres in diameter, and in some cases are very numerous, ranging 

 from a few hundreds up to sevei-al thousands, but in others compara- 

 tively few. 



The liver shows signs of intense hepatitis, caused by embryos 

 burrowing into its tissue. 



Causation. The causes are limited to a single fact, viz., ingestion 

 of the eggs of Tcenia marginata, which are spread over the fields in 

 the excrement of dogs suffering from that parasite. 



Diagnosis. The diagnosis can only be arrived at by a post-mortem 

 examination, when cysticerci in various stages of development are 

 discovered. 



Prognosis. The prognosis is difficult to indicate, because every- 

 thing depends on the intensity of the infestation. 



Treatment. No curative treatment is possible, direct action on 

 the developing parasites being impracticable. Nevertheless, some 

 patients survive, and after having shown grave general disturbance 

 may gradually improve. 



The only efficacious treatment is of a prophylactic nature, as in 

 coenurosis and echinococcosis. Dogs suffering from taeniae should 

 periodically be treated and freed from their parasites. 



