286 TiMEHRI. 



third being thickened and corresponding to the handle 

 of the whip. The length varies from an inch and a half 

 to two inches, according to sex. They are met with 

 principally in the caecum. I have never seen any in the 

 small intestine. In small numbers they occasion 

 little or no disturbance ; but cases have been quoted in 

 which " paralysis with loss of speech" resulted from the 

 intestinal irritation occasioned by the presence of large 

 numbers. 



With regard to all these forms of entozoa the one sure 

 road to their effeftual prevention lies in the insistence 

 of absolutely pure water for drinking purposes. To 

 quote from Chevers' Diseases of India — " When we 

 say, * drink none but the very best water afforded by the 

 locality, let that be filtered and boiled, and again let it 

 be drunk only as weak tea or soup,' we recommend the 

 whole prophylaxis of round worms" — and we may add of 

 most entozoa. 



The Filaria medinensis or guiuea-worm is extremely 

 commonly met with in India ; but so far as I can ascer- 

 tain at present, I don't think it is anything like as 

 common in British Guiana. I have myself seen only one 

 or two cases ; but I have been told by several Medical 

 Officers in charge of country distri6ts that it is by no 

 means uncommon.' 



It usually measures from one to three feet in length 

 with a breadth of about one-tenth of an inch. In the adult 

 condition it infests the feet and legs, or other exposed 

 parts of the body. It is essentially a tropical parasite. 

 As a rule the patient is unconscious of the presence of 

 the v/orm till it is nearly mature and ready to make its 

 exit. Occasionally it exhibits wonderful powers of 



