296 DR. T. S. COBBOLD ON HUMAN ENTOZOA. [NoV. 25, 



ferable to Ascaris mystax. As this volume is not likely to be acces- 

 sible to foreign writers, I adduce a few of the leading facts, which, if 

 carefully weighed, will, I think, clear up all doubts as to the nature 

 of Bellingham's A. alata, and at the same time rescue from oblivion 

 a most interesting helminthological contribution. 



Dr. Pickells's patient was a woman, aged twenty-eight years. The 

 first worm came away in April 1822, and on being submitted to a 

 distinguished naturalist. Dr. J. V. Thomson, of Cork, this authority 

 remarked as follows: — "The Ascaris resembles most that which is 

 so common an inhabitant of the stomach of the Cat (Ascaris felis), 

 but it is rather longer in proportion to its thickness." 



After an interval of one year and ten months (<. e. in Feb. 1824) 

 several were passed ; then again (in November 1825) eleven more; 

 and subsequently (in March 1826) an additional batch of nine were 

 thrown up alive. In all. Dr. William Pickells had " seen about 

 fifty of various sizes." They were generally evacuated alive, and, in 

 a majority of instances, without medicine. " They came away usually 

 in groups of six or more : " and he adds, " I have sometimes found 

 a whole group knit together by the extremities. The common Lum- 

 bricus (Ascaris lumbricoides) was also eliminated in some instances. 

 One (of the latter) measured upwards of a foot." 



Thus much for the first case. The second is almost equally con- 

 vincing, if a comparison be instituted between the figures given by 

 the authors. Continental writers have only referred to Dr. Belling- 

 ham's ' Catalogue of Irish Entozoa ' for a description of Ascaris 

 alata ; but the account there given is very meagre, in fact a mere 

 abstract. In the 'Dublin Medical Press' for 1831, vol. i. p. 104, 

 Bellingham writes as follows : — "The only instance in which I have 

 as yet met with the Ascaris alata was on the occasion of my pre- 

 scribing for a child aged about five years, who exhibited symptoms 

 of worms. I ordered some vermifuge medicine, and desired, in case 

 any worms were voided, that they should be kept, A day or two 

 afterwards the specimens from which I have taken the above descrip- 

 tion [given in his paper. — T. S. C], and which had been expelled by 

 the medicine, were brought to me ; they were dead when I received 

 them, and I could not learn that the child ever passed any since." 



Dr. Bellingham then refers to Dr. J. V. Thomson's opinion as to 

 the species of nematode in the case under Dr. Pickells's care, and 

 himself admits that the latter worm was " one closely resembling his 

 ylscaris alata." He concludes by stating that this A. alata "in 

 general appearance is not unlike Ascaris mystax, which inhabits the 

 stomach and intestines of the Cat ; it differs, however, in having a 

 greater diameter posteriorly than anteriorly, and in the lateral mem- 

 branes of the head being broader in A. mystax than they are in the 

 species under consideration." 



I will not now enter further into this question ; but I cannot help 

 remarking, with surprise, that it is singular any doubt should have 

 existed on the subject. None of the alleged differences are of any 

 value as indications of specific distinctness ; and the figures given 

 (especially those by J. V. Thomson) are clearly referable to Ascaris 



