10 ANIMAL PARASITES. 



The animal is an aciliatcd Infusorium, with the mouth on the 

 ventral surface, and probably furnished with a carapace, resem- 

 bling the Paramecia and Kolpodce, but which Ficinus prefers 

 regarding as a distinct genus, standing near the Monades and 

 Vibriones. The species, according to him, are numerous, as 

 almost every mammal has its peculiar species. Dogs and horses, 

 which, next to man, suffer most from tartar, exhibit these Infusoria 

 in abundance, and the species are particularly like those of man. 



Ehrenberg also referred to these Infusoria, but could not con- 

 firm Leeuwenhoek's statements. 



Ficinus found his Denticola in all persons having teeth, 

 especially in the interstices of the molars. He met with it 

 more rarely on the mucous membrane of the mouth, scarcely at 

 all in the saliva, but especially when the teeth were neglected, 

 and in immense numbers in hollow teeth. In teeth which are 

 kept moist, and between glass plates, the animalcules live for 

 days. In spirituous and acid fluids, and fluids mixed with cigar 

 smoke and spices they do not live in the superficial strata, but 

 exist still in the lower ones. 



Two, three, four, or more of these animals adhere together by 

 their longitudinal axis, become more sluggish, then push them- 

 selves about from place to place, and, lastly, penetrate with one 

 end into a mass of Buhlmann's filaments, and become motionless, 

 when, according to Ficinus, these filaments, which appear darker, 

 are produced from them. The satin-like surface of the tartar of 

 the teeth is closely set with these filaments. If fragments be 

 prepared in muriatic acid, the groups of filaments, arranged 

 in the form of mucedinous fungi, are seen in them ; by 

 concentrated sulphuric acid these are broken up into the 

 above-mentioned small, bean-shaped corpuscles; that is to say, 

 into Denticola. Where the parts are quiet, as on the edges of 

 the gums, and especially in the lower jaw, these filaments are 

 deposited, and gradually increase in number; they constantly 

 cake together more and more firmly, cover the lateral surfaces 

 of the teeth, push back the gum, penetrate between this and the 

 cement of the roots of the teeth, destroy their union, and loosen 

 and ruin the teeth. To cure this disorder the incrustations 

 must be removed, and fresh deposits and the access of the 

 Infusoria must be prevented ; this is effected by aromatic, spiri- 

 tuous remedies, cleaning the teeth with lamp-black, washing the 

 mouth with vinegar or dilute mineral acids, from time to time, 

 and fastening the loose teeth to their neighbours. 



