PLAT VHELMINTHES. 137 
CHAPTER XIV. 
PLATVHELMINTHES, ROTIFERA AND 
NEMATHELMINTHES. 
DISTOMUM. TANIA. HYDATINA, ASCARIS. 
I._DISTOMUM. 
PHYLUM PLATYHELMINTHES. 
Cass TREMATODA. 
Fig. 69.—VENTRAL View oF LIVER-FLUKE (Distomum hepaticum). 
Natural size. (Ad nat.) 
Anterior Sucker 
Pharynx. 
and Mouth. - a ae 
(Esophagus. ; XK 
Intestine. 
Posterior" 
Sucker. 
A, Exterior. B, The Alimentary System. 
Distomum hepaticum is the liver-fluke of the sheep. 
It may grow considerably over one inch in length and shows 
a flat leaf-like shape. It is plano-symmetric and flattened 
dorso-ventrally. 
’ It infests the liver and bile-ducts of the domestic sheep, 
and causes the disease called “liver-rot” which is fatal to 
great numbers of sheep. Obstruction of the bile-duct by 
hundreds of these parasites causes inflammatory processes 
and bleeding of the liver-tissues. General wasting and often 
