﻿INTESTINAL PARASITISM, PARTICULARLY ENTAMGEBIASIS, 



IN PATIENTS OF THE PHILIPPINE GENERAL 



HOSPITAL, MANILA, P. I. 



By David G. Willets 

 {From the Biological Laboratory, Bureau of Science, Manila, P. L) 



Table L — Summary of findings. 



Examinations and infections. 



Number. 



Per cent 





1,000 

 848 



606' 



465 



375 



187 



92 



13 



10 



2 



2 





Persons infected --. 



84.8 



60.6 



46.5 



37.5 



18.7 



9.2 



1.3 



1.0 



0.2 



0.2 



Persons infected with: 



Tj-ichuris 



Asearis _.. _ 



Entamceba 





Monad.. 



Strongyloides _ 



Cestode __ _ 



Oxyuris .._ _._ 



BaXantidium 



Total infections 



1.752 



176.2 





In his investigations on experimental entaraoebic dysentery, 

 Walker 1 drew, among others, the conclusions: (1) That the 

 nonpathogenic E. coli and the pathogenic E. histolytica can be 

 readily differentiated by the experienced microscopist in the 

 active stage, as seen in dysenteric (not diarrhoeal) stools and 

 in the encysted stage encountered in formed stools and (2) 

 that the distinction between the pathogenic E. histolytica and 

 the harmless E. coli having been established, there no longer 

 exists an excuse for the indiscriminate treatment of all persons 

 who show entamoebae in their stools. Granting that these de- 

 ductions are valid, their practical importance rests upon two 

 factors; namely, (1) the percentage of individuals harboring 

 entamoebae and (2) the percentage of persons infected with E. 

 coli only. 



These considerations induced me to make the examinations 

 herein recorded. The objects of the work are to determine (1) 

 the frequency of infection with entamoebae in patients entering 



' This Journal, Sec. B (1913), 8, 253. 



124293 6 



81 



