308 THE ANIMAL PARASITES OF MAN 



body most frequently affected are those in which the peripheric 

 lymphatics converge. Thus they are usually found in the axilla, 

 in the popliteal space, about the elbow, in the sub-occipital region 

 and in the intercostal spaces. The tumours are never adherent 

 to the surrounding structures, and can be easily enucleated. They 

 are formed of a dense mass of connective tissue which enwraps 

 the parasites and encloses small cyst-like spaces filled with a 

 greyish viscous substance consisting almost entirely of filaria 

 larvae. The position of the adult worms within these tumours is 

 very remarkable. The greater length of their coiled-up bodies 

 is embedded in the connective stroma, but the posterior extremity 

 of the male with its copulating organs, and the anterior extremity 

 of the female with its vaginal opening, are free in one of the spaces 

 for the purpose of copulation and parturition. 



The formation of the tumours is elucidated by Labadie-Lagrave 

 and Deguy's case. The authors found an immature female filaria 

 volvulus in a lymphatic vessel partly obstructed by an infiltra- 

 tion of fibrin and leucocytes. It appears therefore that the 

 presence of the parasites within the lymphatics gives rise to an 

 inflammatory process, and that the consequent fibrinous deposit 

 envelops the parasites, obliterates the lumen of the vessel, and 

 ultimately isolates the affected tract. According to the natives, 

 the tumours may last indefinitely and never ulcerate. Some old 

 patients told Brumpt that their tumours had been present since 

 childhood. Probably Filaria volvulus, like some other filariae, may 

 live for many years. 



Filaria volvulus has been met with in various parts of West 

 Africa. Leuckart's cases occurred on the Gold Coast. Prout saw 

 two cases in Sierra Leone, Labadie-Lagrave's case became infected 

 in Dahomey. During his travels through Central Africa, Brumpt 

 had the opportunity of examining fifteen cases on the banks of 

 the Welle between Dongon and M'Binia. He believes that in that 

 region Filaria volvulus affects about 5 per cent, of the riverine 

 population. Two other cases he saw along the Itimbri between 

 Bouta and Ibembo. This filaria is also found on the Kibali and 

 along several tributaries of the Welle, but appears to be unknown 

 on the Congo. L. W. S.] 



LITERATURE. 



LEUCKART. In Manson, P., Diseases of the Skin in Trop. Clim. (Andrew David- 

 son's Hyg. and Diseases of Warm Countr., Edinb., Lond., 1893, P- 963.) 

 LABADIE-LAGRAVE and M. DEGUY. Un cas de Fil. volv. (Arch, de paras., 1899, ii., 



P- 45I-) 



PROUT, W. T. A Fil. found in Sierra Leone. ? Fil. volv., Lkt. (Brit. Med. Journ., 

 1901, No. 2091, p. 209.) 



