5O THE ANIMAL PARASITES OF MAN 



hand, the fact that they are observed not only in persons suffering from 

 intestinal disorders, but also in other diseases, as well as in perfectly 

 healthy persons, proves their innocuousness. 



The infection occurs by ingesting the encysted forms, a fact which Grassi 

 confirmed on his own person. Cereals, or food prepared from cereals, polluted 

 with Lamblia by animals living in the vicinity of human dwellings (mice, 

 rats), are probably the vehicles by which they are introduced into man. 



The parasite under discussion was first observed by Lambl 1 

 in the mucous evacuations of children. He regarded the parasite 

 as a Cercomonade and termed it Cercomonas intestinalis, which 

 name as a rule . is applied to Cercomonas hominis, Davaine, although 

 Stein 2 had already pointed out the difference of the two species. 

 Grassi observed this species first in mice (Dimorphus muris), and 

 subsequently in human beings in Upper Italy, and named it 

 Megastoma entericum? Biitschli 4 and Blanchard 5 then laid stress 

 on the identity of this species with Lambl's Cercomonas intestinalis 

 (1859), and consequently called it Megastoma intestinale. Lastly, 

 Blanchard 6 drew attention to the circumstance that the specific 

 name (Megastoma) chosen by Grassi had already been used four 

 times m to specify various kinds of animals, and proposed the 

 denomination Lamblia. Accordingly Lamblia intestinalis is the 

 only term that holds good, and should be generally adopted. 



In Upper Italy the parasite in the encysted condition has also 

 been seen by Perroncito 7 in man. At the same time, Grassi and 

 Schewiakoff 8 undertook a new examination of specimens from 

 mice and rats. In Germany, Lamblia intestinalis was found by Moritz 

 and Holzl, 9 Roos, 10 Schuberg 11 and Salomon 12 and Moritz and Holzl 



I Lambl, " Unters. d. Darmexcrete " (Vierteljahrsschr. /. prakt. Hlkde., Prag., 1859, 

 Ixi., p. 51 ; Aus d. Franz- Jos. -Kinder spit, in Prag., i., Prag., 1860, p. 360). 



Stein, F. v., Der Org. d. In/us., III. D. Org. d. Flagell, 1878, i., p. 80. 



3 Grassi, B., " Dei protoz. par. e. spec, di quelli che sono nell' uomo " (Gazz. med. 

 ital. lomb., Milano, 1879, No. 45); " Di un nuovo paras, dell' uomo (Meg. enter.)' 1 

 (Gazz. degli. ospit., 1881, ii., Nos. 13-15); " Interno ad ale. prot. endop." (Atti soc. 

 ital. sc. nat., 1882, xxiv.) ; '\Surquelq. prot. endop." (Arch. ital. de Hoi., 1882, ii., p. 421). 



4 Biitschli, O., Protozoa in Bronn's Cl. u. Ord. d. Thierr., 1884, p. 843. 



5 Blanchard, R., TraiM de Zool. med., Paris, 1885, i, i., p. 91. 



6 Blanchard, R., " Rem. sur le Megast. int." (Bull. soc. zool., France, 1888, xiii., 

 p. 18). 



7 Perroncito, E., " Ueber d. Einkaps. d. Megast. intest." (C. f. B. u. P., 1887, ii., 

 p. 738), and Giorn. R. Accad. med., Torino, 1887. 



8 Grassi, B., and W. Schewiakoff, " Beitr. z. Kcnntn. d. Meg. ent." (Z. f. wiss. Zool., 

 1888, xlvi., p. 143). 



9 Moritz, E., and Holzl, " Ueb. Haitf. u. Bedeut. d. York. d. Meg. enter, i. Darmk. 

 d. Menschen" (Munch, med. Wochenschr., 1892, xxxix., No. 47; Sitz.-Ber. d.Artzl.,^ 

 Ver. in Munch., 1893, ii., p. 89). 



10 Roos, " Ueb. Infus.-Diarrh." (Dtsch. Arch. f. klin. Med., 1893, > P- 55)- 



II Schuberg, A,, " Ref. fiber die Arbeit von Moritz u. Holzl" (C. f. B. u. P., 1893, 

 xiv., p. 85). 



12 Salomon, H., " Ueb. ein. Fall von Infusorien-Diarrh." (Bcrl. Klin. Wochenschr., 

 1899, No. 46); Quincke, H., " Ueb., Protozoan-Enteritis" (ibid., Nos. 46-47). 



