SOME OBSERVATIONS ON SO-CALLED FLAGELLATES, CIL- 



lATES, AND OTHER PROTOZOA ENCOUNTERED 



IN WATER AND IN HUMAN STOOLS. 



(preliminary eepoet.) 



By E. H. E.UEDIGEB. 



[From the Serum Section, Biological Laboratory, Bureau of Science, Manila, P. I. 



During routine examinations of diarrhoeal stools made a short time 

 ago among members of what may be considered a camping party, 

 flagellates (species undetermined) were encountered frequently, ciliates 

 (species not identified) occasionally, and on two occasions one other 

 protozoon which will briefly be described later on in this paper. 



Whenever there is an outbreak of diarrhoea, especially in a camp, the 

 drinking water naturally is one of the first things to receive attention. 

 The drinking water at the place in question was distilled and obtained 

 from a distilling plant about 3 or 3 kilometers from the camp. The water 

 was stored at the distilling plant in a closed, practically air-tight iron 

 tank, and it was delivered in a closed iron tank every morning; it was 

 stored at the camp in large galvanized-iron cans with loose covers, from 

 which the coolers were filled for drinking purposes. In transferring 

 the water from the receiving cans to the coolers a milk pitcher or 

 similar vessel usually was employed and in so doing the hand frequently 

 came in contact with the water, thus making an avenue for contamina- 

 tion; and other chances for infection were numerous. Samples of water 

 from the various places, the distilling plant, the water wagon, the 

 receiving cans, and the water coolers at the camp, were examined as 

 follows. 



1. May 16. — A sample of 1,000 cubic centimeters of distilled water from the 

 storage tank at the distilling plant and one of the same amount from the 

 water wagon were put into a sterile flask, about 20 cubic centimeters of sterile, 

 melted nutrient agar was added and the whole incubated for three days. Result 

 of microscopic examinations made May 19: No amoebfe, no ciliates, no flagellates. 



2. May 16. — ^A sample of 1,000 cubic centimeters of wat^r from the receiving 

 cans at the camp was put into a sterile flask, and the same procedure followed. 



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