MERMIS 131 



The embryos are sheathless, and have a thicker cuticle 

 than most of the filarial embryos. These filariae have of 

 late attracted a considerable amount of attention as 

 similar tumours are found in the tissues of cattle in 

 Queensland due to an allied species of worm. 



Other filarias that have been described were probably 

 accidental parasites in man, and are of rare occurrence ; 

 amongst these are : 



Filaria oculi humani, doubtfully a worm at all, and only 

 found in an immature condition by Kubent in 1891. 

 Another filaria or immature form belonging to some 

 other family has been found in the posterior chamber of 

 the eye. 



F. conjunctive, a normal parasite of the horse, has been 

 described in man. 



F. lestiformis is the name given to a worm 16 mm. in 

 length and 1*5 mm. in breadth passed with the urine by 

 a man in West Virginia. 



F. hominis oris and F. labialis, 14 mm. and 30 mm. 

 respectively in length, have only once been found. 



F. equina or papillosa is a common parasite of horses 

 and is found in the peritoneal cavity. A worm similar 

 to this has been found in man on a few occasions. 



These nlariae are mentioned, but the evidence of their 

 existence and of specific characters is not always sufficient. 



Agamofilaria georgiana (Stiles). Immature female 

 worms, removed from the ankle of a negress. They 

 caused local pain and swelling, and emerged through 

 the skin without any assistance. These immature worms 

 were 32 to 53 mm. in length. Mouth terminal, unarmed, 

 but surrounded by six papillae. The oesophagus was 

 long 2'5 to 2*9 mm. ; no dilatations. Intestine nearly 

 straight. No genital organs found. 



MERMIS. 



Gordiacea or Mermithidce. A family of long filiform 

 worms in which there is no anus. There are six oral 

 papillae. The caudal extremity of the worm is very long. 



