Notes on Distoma Endemicum, Baelz. 



By 

 Isao Ijima, Ph. D. 



Professor of Zoology, Science College, Imperial University. 

 With Plate VII. 



Since 1883 it has been known that in certain districts of Okayama- 

 Ken a species of Distoma often infests the liver of the natives, causing 

 deplorable diseases or even deaths. The parasite has been described in 

 no less than two papers, but not quite satisfactorily, a fact which induced 

 me to apply to the Science Department of Tokyo Daigaku for permis- 

 sion to visit infected districts, in order to obtain an exact knowledge 

 of the parasite, preliminary to an attempt at the elucidation of its life- 

 history. Experiments for attaining the latter purpose are being carried 

 on. As I have however no expectation of bringing them soon to a 

 close, I wish to fulfill my duty in submitting the following report to 

 the authorities of the Imperial University. I venture to believe that 

 my notes will put the characters of our Distoma in a clearer light than 

 heretofore and hope that they may be of some service for future inves- 

 tigations by our naturalists and physicians. 



As already referred to, there exist to my knowledge two published 

 accounts of the Distoma parasitic in the liver of Japanese. The one is 

 contained in the joint-work of Messrs. Iviyono, Nakahama, Suga and 



