28 



The Philippine Journal of Science 



1916 



who expelled the worm with the head spontaneously, and that 

 of Stitt, cited by Stiles and Hassel. I have been especially in- 

 terested in the latter, for it might refer to the Philippines, 

 but unfortunately I have been also unable to find the original 

 paper. 



In Blanchard's collection Dipylidium caninum has been found 

 in all ages, but more frequently in children. 



Table V. — Blanchard's collection of human Dipylidium caninum infestation. 



Age. 



1907 



1914 



Total. 



5 weeks to 6 months 



7 to 12 months 



13 to 24 months 



2 to 3 years 



9 months to 3 years . 



4 to 8 years 



9 to 20 years 



Above 20 years 



20 

 7 

 9 

 2 

 7 

 6 

 2 

 6 



24 

 8 



10 

 3 

 7 



12 

 4 

 8 



59 



17 



76 



PATHOLOGY 



Tapeworms have to fight for the preservation of their species 

 and their lives. To accomplish the first, they are endowed with 

 an enormous capacity to lay eggs. To defend themselves against 

 the action of the digestive juices, they elaborate and excrete 

 an antibody — an antitrypsin (Weinland and Haniel) ;(3i) or 

 an antikinase (Dastre and Stessano) (31) — a body comparable 

 with that elaborated by the cells of the intestinal mucosa. 



That they are also able to secrete offensive substances, 

 Flury(32) demonstrated in the case of Ascaris, and Blanchard(3) 

 states that the burning and itching of the anus during the exit 

 of this worm is due to a toxic substance secreted by this parasite, 

 and that part of the reflex phenomena and especially those dis- 

 turbances of nutrition as arrest of growth, loss of appetite, and 

 weakness are due to the toxic substance. According to Adami (31) 

 these toxic subtances diffuse into the tissues and into the blood 

 and bone marrow and other seats of origin of eosinophile cells 

 and stimulate their proliferation and increased production. 



In view of the above facts one is tempted to think that, taking 

 for granted that the infestation of my case took place soon 

 after birth, owing to his habit of sucking his fingers, which 

 had been probably licked by a cat or dog, and the exit of the 

 parasite producing much discomfort, chronic constipation and 

 final hjrpertrophy and dilatation of the colon occurred. 



