40 MICROSCOPICAL DIAGNOSIS. 



Prof. Buhl reports a case where the mucus had undergone such 

 changes, that to the unaided eye, it simulated tapeworm. 



Dr. Bennett, in his "clinical lectures," reports the following: A 

 child was supposed to be affected with worms, because it passed 

 yellow shreds in abundance, which to the naked eye closely re- 

 sembled ascarides. All kinds of vermifuge remedies had been tried 

 -in vain. On examining the shreds with a microscope, he found 

 them to consist of the undigested spiral vessels of plants; and they 

 ceased to appear when the vegetable broth, used as food, was 

 abandoned. 



He reports. this also: An individual was supposed to be labor- 

 ing under dysentery from the frequent passage* of the yellow pulpy 

 masses in the stools, accompanied with tormina and other symp- 

 toms. On examining these masses under the microscope, he 

 found them to consist of undigested potato skins. On inquiry it 

 was ascertained that 'this person had eaten the skin with the pota- 

 toes. On causing them to be removed before dinner, the alarming 

 appearance ceased, and the other symptoms also disappeared. 



We have found a number of larvae in the faeces; they were from 

 three-eighths to one-hall inch in length, but were dead when exam- 

 ined. 



There is conclusive evidence that maggots, larvae, etc., will pass 

 through the whole length of the alimentary canal in a living state 

 Cheese mites, insects and fragments of insects may be discovered. 



MILK. 



The examination of milk is without difficulty. A drop of the 

 fluid is placed on a slide, the cover-glass applied, and the specimen 

 examined with a power of about 400 diameters. The "milk glob- 

 ules," or oil globules, vary from the 1-2500 to the 1-2000 of an inch 

 in diameter. They do not have, as a rule, a perfectly regular out- 

 line. They do not run together to make large globules, neither will 

 the addition of ether effect their solution. Each globule is sur- 

 rounded by a thin covering, which must be destroyed before the 

 ether will act. Strong acetic acid will dissolve the covering, and so 

 will several of the alkalies. If the milk be examined shortly after 

 delivery, it will be found to contain large, spherical bodies, consist- 

 ing of a collection of oil globules embedded in some soft material. 

 These are the colostrum corpuscles. Occurring normally after 



