﻿2 ASHBURN AND CEAIG. 



United States Army, we are indebted for the additional cases which he 

 found while examining the blood of a company of Philippine Scouts at 

 Imus, Cavite Province, with the view of determining how many of this 

 company were infected with Filaria phiUppinensis. These men, who 

 were transferred to us for observation, belonged to one company of Scouts 

 and all were born upon the Island of Luzon, in the Province of Ambos 

 Camarines. 



From a study of these cases we have been able to confirm our original 

 description of this filaria and to make additional observations upon its 

 morphology and life history, especially as regards its developmental changes 

 within a mosquito, CuJe.r fatigans Wied. 



RESUME OF THE ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION. 



In order that the observations which follow may clearly be understood 

 the following brief resume of our original description is necessary : 



Filaria phiUppinensis is a small blood filaria found in natives of the Philippine 

 Islands; it presents no periodicity, occurring in practically equal, but small num- 

 bers, at all hours of the day and night; it is actively motile, possessing both 

 lashing and progressive motion and presents for description a sheath, an anterior 

 extremity, a body and a posterior extremity. The average length of the living 

 filaria is 0.32 millimeter, but variations occur between 0.29 and 0.335 millimeter. 



The sheath is visible at either extremity, being invisible along the rest of the 

 body; it has the appearance of a fine thread, as thin as the flagellum of a trypa- 

 nosoma ; along the body the sheath is transparent and very tightly fitting, thus 

 preventing the filaria from slipping backward and forward within it. as in the case 

 of Filaria nocturna Manson and Filaria diurna Manson. 



The anterior extremity or head consists of a hemispherical base, in the center 

 of which is placed a small spicule which retracts within this base; surrounding 

 this portion of the head is a serrated prepuce which, when closed, covers it, when 

 retracted, exposes it ; the number of serrations or lips can not be determined. The 

 prepuce is constantly drawn back and forth, as is likewise the spicule, but the 

 motion of the two is not always synchronous. 



The body is graceful and sinuous, consisting of an outer, radially striated, 

 musculocutaneous coat and an inner portion or body cavity ; the latter is clear and 

 retractile and contains the following constant viscera : 



(a) Anterior V spot. — A bright, retractile, triangular area, placed at one side 

 of the worm, about 0.105 millimeter from the anterior margin of the head, and 

 opening by its apex upon the surface, piercing the musculo-cutaneous coat. 



(6) Central visc-us. — In the posterior portion of the central third of the body 

 is situated a convoluted or spiral tube, or cylinder, resembling a vine tendril, and 

 presenting five or six spiral turns which progressively grow smaller, ending in a 

 fine, curved or straight extremity. This central viseus is placed in the same 

 portion of the worm as is the "granular mass" in Filaria nocturna. 



(e) Posterior V spot and papilla. — At the center of the posterior third of the 

 body there is situated a triangular spot, its apex opening upon the surface, pierc- 

 ing the musculo-cutaneous coat, where it marks the site of a distinct papilla which 

 bulges beyond the body line and may represent the anus or cloaca of the adult 

 worm. 



The posterior extremity or tail, at a point midway between the posterior V 



