Remarks on Dracunculus. 363 



have so vague an idea of the nature of the animal, on which 

 of course its habits depend. Some contend that it is imbibed 

 into the alimentary canal with water, and others, that its ova 

 are absorbed by the skin. Neither of these conjectures 

 seem to be correct ; the young which are extremely numer- 

 ous, are produced alive, and although full of life and activity 

 when first extracted, they soon expire after being emersed 

 in water, or separated from the blue milky fluid with which 

 they are exuded. These circumstances, as well as the in- 

 capacity of the parent to survive long after having been 

 removed from the body, would not appear to countenance 

 the idea of their identity with any kind of external worm. 

 Still, as certain authorities have declared that animals essen- 

 tially the same do exist in waters and soils, we should not 

 be justified in denying this to be the case, at the same time 

 it may be reasonable to hope that such worms when met 

 with out of the body will be in future preserved. Having 

 been requested by Mr. Brett to accompany him to the Body 

 Guard Hospital, for the purpose of seeing a case of Dracun- 

 culus, the animal was found protruding for about eight 

 inches from behind the inner right ancle, and when touched, 

 shewed evident signs of vitality, even at the narrow point- 

 ed extremity, although that part was somewhat shrivelled 

 and dry. It was examined by a small lens, and found 

 to correspond with the part usually presenting in such 

 cases, which seems to be the tail ; the head being seldom 

 seen, unless when the animal is extracted entire. Of six 

 specimens examined, one only is possessed of the head ; 

 all six have the caudal extremity perfect, with the exception 

 of certain injuries to which they were exposed in the act of 

 extraction. The tail is attenuated to a very fine sharp 

 point, and bent like the point of a cobbler's awl. It is also 

 armed with a few rough points, probably for the purpose of 

 forcing its way through the cellular tissue. Some however 

 are without these points, having the tail smooth, but in other 



3 B 



