326 The Philippine Journal of Science wis 



4. Since there is evidence that ipecac treatment, which is very efficient 



in relieving attacks of entamoebic dysentery and causing the enta- 

 mcebae to disappear temporarily from the stools, does not always 

 kill all of the entamoebse in the intestine, treatment should always 

 be controlled by stool examinations for Entamoeba histolytica. By 

 this precaution, relapses, so common in entamoebic dysentery, can 

 be forestalled. 



5. The following data have been acquired upon which to base a rational 



prophylaxis of entamoebic dysentery: 



a. Entamoeba histolytica is the essential etiologic agent in the disease. 



b. The specific entamoeba is an obligatory parasite, and cannot propa- 



gate outside of the body of its host. 



c. The motile forms of this entamoeba, which are passed in the bloody 



mucous stools in acute dysentery, quickly die and disintegrate and 

 are probably, under natural conditions, incapable of withstand- 

 ing passage through the human stomach. 



d. In consequence of the relatively long incubation period of entamoebic 



dysentery, the prevalence of chronic and latent infections, and 

 the frequent failure of treatment to kill all of the entamoebffi 

 in the intestine, "carriers" of Entamoeba histolytica are common 

 in endemic regions. 



e. These "carriers" are constantly passing in their stools large numbers 



of the resistant, encysted stage of Entamoeba histolytica. 



6. These facts make it probable that "carriers" of Entamoeba histolytica 



constitute the chief, if not the sole, agents in the dissemination of 

 entamoebic dysentery. 



7. Prophylactic measures should, therefore, be directed toward "carriers" 



of Entamoeba histolytica, and should include the following: 



a. The identification of "carriers" of Entamoeba histolytica by the 



microscopic examination of the stools of convalescents, house- 

 hold servants, and other suspects or persons whose employment 

 or associations make them particularly dangerous to the public 

 health. 



b. The sanitary disposal of faeces. 



c. The treatment, controlled by Inicroscopic examination of their 



stools, of all "carriers" of Entamoeba histolytica. 



8. Since the incubation period of entamcebic dysentery is usually long 



and latent infections are common, the most efficient personal prophy- 

 lactic measure is frequent stool examinations, as an index for 

 treatment, of all persons residing in endemic regions. 



LITERATURE REFERRED TO IN THE TEXT 



Akashi. Uber die Morphologic und die Entvdckelung der Darmamoben. 

 Mitt. d. med. Gesell. Tokyo (1911), 25, 159. 



Beaurepaire Aragao, H. de. Sobre una nova entamoeba humana, Enta- 

 moeba brasiliensis n. sp. Brazil Medico (1912). [Review in Bull. 

 Inst. Pasteur (1912), 10, 551.] 



Buerger, L. Studies of the pneumococcus and allied organisms with refer- 

 ence to their occurrence in the human mouth. Journ. Exp. Med. 

 (1905), 7, 497-546. 



Castellani, a. Observations on some protozoa found in human feces. 

 Centralbl. f. Bakt. etc., Orig. (1905), 38, 66-69. 



