Parasites. 297 



Most people associate the diseases of the skin which are 

 caused by Parasites with dirt, and very rightly so ; but 

 we must go further and conne6l the majority of the 

 diseases caused by internal Parasites as usually produced 

 by negleft in the proper attention to stri6l cleanliness 

 with regard to our drinking-water as well as all articles 

 of food. 



The population of British Guiana generally does not 

 as yet attach sufficient importance to the absolute neces- 

 sity of a pure water supply. The alarming prevalence 

 of the Ascaris Itimbricoides alone shows this. Its preva- 

 lence without doubt is due to the large amount of filthy 

 water which is drunk ; and its greater prevalence 

 amongst those classes who are in the habit more or less 

 of drinking such water is very evident. But it is not 

 only water which a6lually looks and smells filthy that is 

 from a hygienic point of view impure. Much of our vat- 

 water is unfit for drinking purposes until it has been 

 well boiled or filtered. The tank-worms which are 

 so often seen in it, are anything but evidences 

 of its purity. Sufficient attention is not paid to the 

 regular and systematic cleaning out of our vats. So 

 long as we are careless about our water-supply, so long 

 shall we have disease in our midst ; and if the above few 

 pages may serve in a small degree to diredt some atten- 

 tion to the matter, they will not have been written in 

 vain. 



