TAPEWORMS. 47 



ever that the statements of her previous advisers 

 were incorrect, the patient, on the other hand, and 

 also a friend who accompanied her, attributed the 

 negative results to my imperfect mode of treatment! 

 Determined not to be put down by the customary 

 and stupid assurances that older men than myself 

 (including one especially distinguished gentleman) 

 had asserted that the tapeworm was certainly pre- 

 sent, I sought, in the next place, to impart con- 

 fidence to my patient by producing a variety of 

 specimens of Ttsniae and Bothriocephali, requesting 

 her to say which entozoon the alleged parasite most 

 resembled. I must tell you that she was in the 

 habit of passing portions of this wonderful worm 

 either weekly or fortnightly, and it always came 

 away more or less copiously after medical treat- 

 ment. Well, having explained the general struc- 

 ture of the specimens produced, I succeeded in 

 making a somewhat more favourable impression on 

 her, mind, and she was obliged to admit that none 

 of the specimens exhibited precisely resembled the 

 particular parasite from which she was suffering. 

 Still she could not doubt that her previous ad- 

 visers were correct in their opinions. " They had 

 actually seen the creature, and must know all about 

 it ; but I had not seen it, and therefore could 

 not know what it was." That was her mode of 

 reasoning. What was to be done ? My obstinacy 

 appeared mere impertinence ; besides, my medicines 



