THE ASCARIS LUMBRICOIDES. 89 



to any appreciable functional disorder ; but when, on 

 the contrary, they are present in large numbers, or 

 have passed out of the small intestines into the 

 stomach, or some other part, they occasion varied 

 derangements in the digestive, nervous and other 

 functions. 



The symptoms which mark the existence of 

 lumbrici in the intestine are similar to those which 

 are indicative of other intestinal entozoa, and which 

 have been already detailed in Chapter III. There 

 are none which are peculiar to these worms, but those 

 which are most frequently observed are : — Cohc in 

 the umbilical region, darting and tearing pains in the 

 abdomen, which is more or less distended, depraved 

 appetite, an increased flow of saliva, nausea, vomiting, 

 ^ dysenteric diarrhcea, and itching at the nose. 



The following phenomena may also be sometimes 

 observed : — Puffiness of the face, a leaden colour of 

 the eyelids, unequal dilatation of the pupil, foetor of 

 the breath, emaciation, and certain nervous symp- 

 toms, such as confused dreams, grinding of the teeth 

 and convulsive movements during sleep, wandering 

 pains in the limbs. 



No one of these symptoms, taken separately, is 

 of much value ; but the joint appearance of several 

 of them affords almost conclusive evidence of the 

 existence of lumbrici in the alimentary canal. 



Rosen states, in his work upon the diseases of 

 children, that one of the surest signs of the presence 

 of intestinal entozoa is the sense of relief which is 

 experienced after a draught of cold water has been 

 swallowed. Another author, Romans, states that the 

 existence of small red, projecting, isolated, points at 



