MEDICAL WORK WITH MICROSCOPE 



but we write for the ordinary enthusiast and not 

 for the specialist. Many interesting little mites, 

 closel}'^ allied to the cheese-mites, cause skin diseases 

 and the creatures themselves as well as their tunnels 

 in the skin are interesting. 



There is one little parasite which we nearly all 

 of us carry without knowing it, and it makes quite 

 an interesting object for the microscope. Its name 

 is Demodeoo Folliculorum and it dwells in the sweat 

 glands, especially those round about the nose. It 

 is very minute and requires a high magnification 

 for its examination. The adult is worm-like and 

 tapering in the hinder two-thirds of its body, whilst 

 the front third, to which is attached four pairs of 

 short, fleshy legs, is stouter. From the eggs which 

 may be heart or spindle shaped, little six-legged 

 grubs arise ; later these grubs change into the eight- 

 legged adults. All the changes take place in the 

 sweat glands, and the creatures live with their heads 

 turned away from the pore of the gland. 



To observe these strange little creatures it is only 

 necessary to squeeze some of the white congealed 

 perspiration from one of these glands on to a slide, 

 cover it with a drop of oil or xylol and spread out 

 the object with a needle. By cutting down the light 

 considerably by means of the diaphragm, we shall 

 be able to distinguish all the stages of these little 

 creatures which, unbidden, share our lives. 



Other parasites come to us in our food and, of 

 these, one of the most dangerous is known as 

 Trichinella Spiralis and gives rise to a disease known 



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