220 The Philippine Journal of Science i9is 



It has occurred to me that the condition I have mentioned 

 might possibly explain some of the frequent and obscure cases 

 of "auto-intoxication" occurring in the tropics, often under ap- 

 parently unexplainable conditions; and possibly, also, the case 

 presented by the patient in the tropics who is unable to give 

 his physician any further information than that he experiences 

 a disinclination to work and "feels rotten" — a condition often 

 referred to as "Philippinitis," in the Philippine Islands. I have 

 several times been struck by the fact that a large proportion 

 of such individuals harbored swarms of trichomonads, when 

 there was not a frank infection with helminths, and I have been 

 inclined to suspect that had the opportunity been present for 

 an examination of the stools on several successive days the 

 flagellates would have appeared in the other cases as well. 1 

 have noted similar symptoms in individuals suffering from 

 heavy infections with Spirochseta eurygyrata. 



Trichomonas is a protozoan parasite of the order Polymasti- 

 gida and the subphylum Mastigophora. It is found through a 

 wide range of the lower animals and very frequently in man. 

 It possesses well-developed motile organs and a cytostome for 

 the ingestion of solid food and is, in no sense, to be regarded as 

 a primitive or degenerate species. Its nucleus is of the karyo- 

 some type and divides with a well-developed mitotic figure in 

 which chromosomes have been demonstrated in some species. Its 

 life cycle, so far as it has been worked out, seems to be fairly 

 complex. Although the behavior of the chromatin under certain 

 conditions may be regarded as leading up to it, syngamy has 

 not yet been worked out. 



The organism shows more or less variation in size and form. 

 Trichomonas intestinalis of man measures, generally speaking, 

 from 10 to 15 n in length and from 3 to 5 /x at its greatest 

 breadth. Forms may be found that are almost spherical 

 through those that are triangular, short, or elongated. Many 

 are pyriform or pear-shaped. The organisms are active 

 in their movements, but frequently come to rest, apparently 

 to feed. Their food during life in the lumen of the intestine 

 consists, for the most part, of bacteria. Three equal flagella, 

 inserted in relation to a basal granule or blepharoplast, spring 

 from the anterior end of the body and are employed in locomo- 

 tion and food-taking. Another, somewhat stouter flagellum 

 runs posteriorly, forming the margin of an extension of the 

 ectoplasm, the undulating membrane, and is continued as a free 

 lash beyond the posterior end. The inner margin of the un- 

 dulating membrane is bordered by a deeply staining linear struc- 



