FILARIA MEDINENSIS. 405 



interval, soft poultices with onions and aloes should be applied 

 to the affected organ. 



If, from any reason, no baths can be given, tepid injections 

 of a solution of Natron samtonic. gr. iv — vj, at a time, or of a 

 solution of common salt in water with a drop of oil of anise, or 

 of a solution of this salt in a thoroughly strained infusion of anise 

 or valerian, should be made through the wound and close to the 

 worm by means of a syringe with a very fine capillary pipe; the 

 extraction of the worm should be then attempted, and the ex- 

 tracted portion well fastened. The process of cure must be 

 assisted in general by cutting the skin over the worm, in Loffler's 

 method, and also by gentle rubbing and kneading of the places 

 where the worm has formed knots. 



From the most ancient periods the tearing of the worm has 

 been regarded as a very bad accident, although, as observation 

 has shown, not for the reason stated by Dujardin, that the living 

 brood disseminated in the wound immediately give origin to new 

 Ft/aria. This takes place frequently in consequence of rough 

 pulling, but also in the most careful treatment. According to 

 Pere and Kampfer, the worm, when torn or cut emits a white 

 juice, which must be seminal filaments or eggs, according to the sex, 

 and as we only know the females correctly, probably the latter. 

 If the patient does not usually die suddenly in consequence of this 

 breaking, as Avenzoar says, mortification and death may easily 

 follow in a short time (Bancroft, Chardin, Gallandat, &c), or 

 shortening and deformities of the legs occur (Dubois), or especially 

 lingering fistula, which only heal slowly and with violent pain 

 after they have been opened (as, for example, in Bruce himself). 

 The latter was mentioned by Rhazes, but Gallandat contradicted 

 it, as the worm makes its way out with remaining fragments, even 

 by empirical treatment with cataplasms. According to the ob- 

 servations of most authors, such as Hemmerson, Lister, and 

 Cramer, who had themselves suffered from the worms, and whose 

 worms had been broken away, violent swelling, fever, and sleep- 

 lessness occurred, and were only cured when the worm was killed, 

 which, as Gallandat, certainly incorrectly, states, is the most 

 dangerous thing of all. However, the diagnosis must be care- 

 fully made, and great attention must be paid to distinguishing 

 between mere furunculi and furunculi caused by the Filaria. In- 

 cautious surgeons and unprofessional people may very probably 

 have drawn out sinews and nerves under the idea that they were 



