OUE DOMESTICATED ANIMALS. 35 



without finding either hydatids in the lungs or liver, 

 or cysticerci iu the muscles. He adds : — " It was fre- 

 quently a matter of surprise to me that the functions 

 of the lungs and liver could be carried on, so infested 

 were these organs with hydatids and flukes which 

 often produced profuse suppuration. " Contrary to the 

 recorded experiences of some other observers, Dr. Fleming 

 states that he never noticed that the mere age of the 

 animals exerted any influence in regulating the numbers 

 of cysticerci found in the muscles of Indian cattle. 



In connection with the subsidiary question, as to the 

 degree of infection which animals may acquire by natural 

 causes, my informant's subsequent remarks are highly 

 important ; and, from what follows, any intelligent person, 

 not voluntarily blinded by prejudice, must perceive 

 that Dr. Fleming's statements have an important 

 bearing on questions of public health, more particularly 

 in relation to the possibilities of infection arising from 

 the distribution of sewage, or water containing fresh 

 faecal matter. On this latter point he writes to me in the 

 following terms : — " I have been an eye witness to the 

 disgusting spectacle of cattle eating greedily the fresh 

 human evacuations in the neighbourhood of Indian 

 Villages, and have been told that sheep do the same 

 thing. It is a daily occurrence in India, when pigs are 

 plentiful, to see these animals watching the natives, 

 in the morning especially, and devouring the excrement 

 as fast as it is deposited. I believe the natives 

 sometimes carry stout sticks to beat the pigs off." 



11 1 look upon the dirty pools which are placed within 

 a few yards of most Indian villages, as the principal 

 medium through which cattle become cyst-infected. 

 The customs of the natives, the low level of these pools, 



d 2 



