172 ENTOZOA FOUND IN MAN. 



Chapter XXV. 



THE MEDICAL AND SUEGICAL TEEATMENT OF 

 HYDATID TUMOUES. 



The efficacy of the various plans of medical treat- 

 ment which have been adopted in the case of hydatids 

 is very uncertain ; but further trial is necessary 

 before we ought to condemn, as useless, the different 

 remedial agents which have been suggested by 

 different observers. 



With regard to prophylactic treatment nothing 

 can be regarded as satisfactory until our knowledge 

 of the mode of transmission of hydatids, and of the 

 circumstances which favour their development in the 

 human body, is more certain than it is at present. 



Upon a consideration of the nature, and of the 

 situation of hydatids, it is evident that the remedies 

 which ought to be administered for their destruction 

 are such as are soluble in the animal fluids, and which 

 might, by their solution and absorption, get into the 

 circulation, and thus be brought into contact with 

 the hydatid cyst, into which they might penetrate by 

 endosmosis ; it is also requisite that these medicinal 

 substances should act poisonously upon the hydatids, 

 but not upon the human organs. 



Baumes has published several cases which tend to 

 show that calomel possesses some efficacy against 

 hydatids ; but several other authors state that they 

 have employed this remedy unsuccessfully in cases 

 where the existence of hydatids was proved by 



