Parasites. 295 



disease runs a very chronic course, and usually results in 

 amputation of the affected members. 



Of the Epiphy ta, tropical countries afford us as numerous 

 examples as any of the more temperate climes, if not 

 more. They include the fungi which produce the 

 various forms of ' rinorworm'. Special names have been 

 given to certain forms of the disease occurring in ori- 

 ental places, such as the Burmese, Chinese, and Indian 

 ringworm ; but TiLBURY Fox is of opinion that the para- 

 site is precisely the same as that causing the ordinary 

 ringworm of the scalp (Tinea tonsurans) and that these 

 forms of the disease differ from it essentially in the fa6l 

 of its occurrence on the non-hairy parts. 



Of the third great class of Parasites — Parasites of 

 extremely minute organic forms — Ba6ieria — it would be 

 beyond the scope of this paper to enter into. Suffice it 

 to say that it is to this class that Pathologists in the 

 Tropics as well as in all other countries, must now turn 

 their utmost skill and attention for the elucidation of 

 some of the most interesting, though direful, diseases. 

 To us in British Guiana they are of all absorbing interest 

 when we know that on the presence of that extremely 

 minute organic form, the Lepra bacillus, depends the 

 terrible disease of Leprosy. And a yet more prevalent 

 and very fatal disease. Phthisis, (although not nearly so 

 prominently before the eyes of the public on account of 

 its not producing such loathsome objefts as its congener 

 Leprosy), as every one knows now-a-days, depends for its 

 existence on the Bacillus tuberculosis. 



Ba6leriology and Pasteurism are now the most absorbing 

 topics of Medical Science ; but it would require many 

 pages to do the subje6ls anything like justice. 



