Infusorial Catarrh and Asthma. 



Discovery of the cause of one Form of Hay Fever, Hay 

 Asthma, Catarrhal Fever etc. 



By 

 J. M. Salisjbury, B. N. S, A. M. M. "D. 



This is purely a parasitic disease, arising from a peculiar 

 animal cular organism (Asthmatos ciliaris (Salisb.) armed upon one 

 side with Cilia. This organism assumes a great variety of shapes 

 and sizes, — during the different phases of its existence. In the 

 same case, by watching carefully its development and metamorpho- 

 ses under the microscope, it may be seen to transform it self into 

 all the different forms represented in the figures from 1 to 17 H. 

 Taf. I. The most usual shapes appear to be either spherical or oval; 

 as seen in figures 1 to 8 H. Taf. I. These frequently send out a 

 long proboscis, at the end of which is a dilated and elongated 

 cilium, as represented at 14, L5, 16 and 17 H. Taf. I. This pro- 

 boscis may be in the centre of the mass of cilia, as at 15 and 

 16, or at one side as at 14 and 17. It may be drawn in, leav- 

 ing a nipple like elevation as at 10, or may disappear entirely, 

 leaving the organism oval (8) or spherial (6). The proboscis often 

 only partially disppears, or is only partially drawn in, while a 

 constriction occurs in the form, as represented at 13 and 14. It 

 may be simply a largely dilated cilium, as at 17 and 18 IL Taf. I.; 

 — or the cell walls may go out forming a more or less sharp pro- 

 tuberance as at 15; or the walls may go still farther out forming 

 a more or less fusiform organism as at 16. The cilia are simple 

 extensions of the cell wall, arc hollow and communicate with the 

 cell cavity; and can be dilated and elongated at the pleasure of 

 the animal. The parasite consists of a simple sac, — armed upon 

 one side with cilia and inclosing one or more large nuclei, — 

 and many smaller germules of various sizes as seen in the figures. 



