IV. The origin of interior animals in the human body 

 is explained by means of primitive generation. 



V. We deny that there exist in air or water seeds of 

 worms which penetrate the animal body, and that 

 interior animals multiply as such. 



VI. We deny that interior animals can transfer from 

 the mother to the fetus, (p. 49) 



That same point of view is given in the dissertation 

 which A. Kosminsky 46 defended at Moscow University in the 

 same year as Spassky's. Concerning the origin of parasitic 

 worms, Kosminsky gave various points of view. The possibility 

 of introducing the parasites into man through food or drink, 

 either in mature form or as eggs, is equivalent to the 

 transfer of parasites or their embryos from the human parents 

 through the egg from which the human fetus develops, or by 

 means of infection through the placenta, milk, saliva, etc.; 

 Kominsky decisively rejected all of this. His arguments 

 included: "Regarding previous discussions . . . , it is 

 sufficient to say that all the new authors collectively 

 state that worms find a shelter in the intestines of people 

 and beasts, and they get their start from spontaneous or 

 sudden generation or development." 47 Kosminsky assumed that 

 not only molds, fungi, lichens, and infusoria could develop 

 this way, but also intestinal worms. Kosminsky envisioned 

 the process of their spontaneous development as follows. 

 In those parts of the organism which, for some reason, are 

 weakened and consequently secrete abnormal serum, lymph, 

 or mucus, there appear organic particles which represent 

 rudiments of future parasitic worms. The mucus, serum, and 

 lymph accumulate in the intestine, where the nutrient fluid, 

 which was earlier converted into animal matter, thickens and 

 coagulates. Covered with epidermis, it can easily give rise 

 to the development of worms. 4 8 



46. Alexander Kosminsky, "Dissertatio inauguralis medico- 

 practica de entozois s. vermibus in intestinis hominum 

 praecique nidulantibus , de remediis anthelminticus et 

 methodis eadem exhibendi." Moscow, 1824. 24 pp. 



47. Ibid ., p. 28. 



48. Ibid ., p. 23. 



176 



