XIX] PROTOZOA CAUSING DISEASE 503 



forms of acute dysenteric inflammation of the large intestine. 

 While some have confirmed Kartulis (Osier, Councilman, 

 Maggiora, and others) others have missed the amoeba, but 

 describe various species of bacteria as connected with the 

 disease; from the careful bibliography collected by Maggiora 

 {Ceniralblatt f. Bact. und ParasUenkunde, xi., Nos. 6 and 7) 

 there can be little doubt that what is chnically spoken of as 

 dysentery is not one single disease in etiological respects, 

 since some dysenteric affections are, others are not, caused 

 by the amceba coli. 



3. Flagellate protozoa. — Many species of flagellate infusoria 

 are known to inhabit the body of invertebrate and verte- 

 brate animals ; of these the group known as Monadinas are 

 in so far of interest as some of them have been found in 

 vertebrates in connection with disease. The genus Tricho- 

 monas'^ has been found by L. Pfeififer in the oral and 

 pharyngeal mucus of pigeons affected with the chronic 

 necrotic thickening of the mucous membrane, called also 

 "diphtheria,"^ and which this observer considers to be 

 connected with the cause of the disease. But Loffler (see 

 the chapter on Diphtheria) has shown that the disease in the 

 pigeon is due to a specific bacillus, and in this he is fully 

 confirmed by Babes.^ Pfeiffer in the monograph just quoted 

 still maintains his original assertion, that the disease is due 

 to trichomonas invading and ultimately destroying the 

 epithelial cells. Pfeiffer, however, differs, as regards the life- 

 history of this protozoon, from all other observers and writers 

 on protozoa (Leuckart, Biitschh, Dallinger and Drysdale), 

 inasmuch as he describes the formation of spores within the 

 substance of the trichomonas.* It ought also to be mentioned 



^ Leuckart, Die Parasiten des Menschen, 2te Auflage, p. 311. 

 ^ L. Pfeiffer, Die Protozoal ah Krankheiiserregcr^ 1890 (Jena), 

 p. 85. 



^ Zeitschr. f. Hygiene^ Band x. "* Loc. at. p. 85, fig. 26. 



