xxiv Transactions of the South African Philosophical Society. 



live; the Muscid cannot perforate the skin, and therefore either 

 deposit their eggs or larvae on the skin, or on the mucous mem- 

 brane of a cavity. This is a very important point, as will be seen 

 hereafter. 



Blanchard set immediately to work to identify the fly. Unfortu- 

 nately the precious specimen had reached him totally shattered, and 

 the one mounted for the microscope was too much compressed 

 to be of much use ; but from the neuration of the wings and other 

 characters he concluded that the species was referrable to Lucilia 

 or Ochromya, &c, thus justifying my diagnosis. The Muscida, 

 with known cuticolous larvae, are very rare, but I have often heard, 

 while in Senegambia, of the so-called " Cayor worm," and this so- 

 called worm has been successfully bred by Berenger-Feraud, and been 

 named Ochromya anthropopliaga. The species bred in Natal might 

 prove to be identical, and the description tallies, more or less, with 

 that of the Senegal one. In the Royal College of Surgeons there is 

 found the larva of a Muscid, extracted from the leg of Livingstone 

 during his journey to the Zambesi by Sir John (then Dr.) Kirk. The 

 larva is apparently not sufficiently developed to enable one to decide 

 as to the genus it belongs to, but it is a true Muscid, according to 

 Blanchard. I have heard from other parties that have been, or 

 fancy they have been, suffering from the effects of that fly in the 

 Transvaal low country, but have not been able to see the actual 

 specimen. Being very desirous of procuring more to replace the 

 destroyed one, I wrote again to Dr. Veale, and he has been kind 

 enough to communicate the following. 



Mr. Peringuey then read a letter from Dr. Yeale, Pretoria, giving 

 particulars of a case which occurred there, from which the following is 

 an extract : " On March 16th minute irritable pimples, red, like minute 

 fly-bites. From March 16th to 26th, these pimples increased in size, 

 becoming vesicular, and ultimately pustular on the top, large indura- 

 tion around, patient's temperature gradually increasing until 104° 

 was reached. Great depression and inability to move legs. I first 

 saw the case March 25th. Fomenting with hot water and opium in 

 the course of four hours caused the vesicles to break, and the larvae 

 to escape to the number of twenty-four, with a consequent fall in 

 temperature and convalescence. Two escaped notice, and were 

 extracted the following day. They were active enough to crawl 

 across the room. The pain for the ten days was described as being 

 very great and like neuralgia. The effect remaining was anaemia, 

 with great prostration and nervousness, which disappeared under 

 suitable treatment." The trouble is not generally known in Pretoria. 

 The cases are very few. 



