238 



ENTOZOA. 



siten," p. 406, et seq.), he gives a condensed account of his experi- 

 ments with the fresh eggs of Taenia mediocomellata. He fed two 

 calves with the proglottides of this worm. The first animal ex- 

 perimented on died from a violent attack of the measle-disease, 

 which resembles ^^ind of leprosy. This malady has since 

 been, not altogetHSt" inappropriately, characterized as " acute 

 cestode tuberculosis." On dissectiug this calf, the muscles 

 were found fiUed with measles, or imperfectly developed scolices. 

 On the second occasion a smaller number of proglottides (ia 

 all about fifty) were administered ; but the febrile symptoms 

 agaiu appeared with such virulence that Leuckart thought this 

 animal would die also. Fortunately, after the lapse of a fort- 

 night fi:"om their commencement, some abatement of the disease 

 took place ; and this gradually continued until the animal was per- 

 fectly restored to health. Eight and forty days subsequent to the 

 feeding {i.e., reckoning from the earhest days of alimentation, for 

 the feedings were continued at intervals up to the eighteenth day) 

 Professor Leuckart extirpated the left cleido-mastoid muscle, and 

 whilst performing the operation had the satisfaction of seeing 

 the cysticercus-vesicles lodged within the muscles. They were 

 larger and more opalescent than those of the so-called Gysticercus 

 celluloscB, but, nevertheless, permitted the recognition of the young 

 worms through their semi-transparent capsules. The heads of the 

 contained cysticerci exhibited all the distinctive peculiarities pre- 

 sented by the head of the. adult strobUa {Taenia mediocanellata) ; 

 and thus, taking the results of this experiment in connection with 

 previously ascertained facts, we are supplied with the most un- 

 equivocal evidence that man becomes infested by this second form 

 of tapeworm by eating imperfectly-cooked veal and beef. In all 

 probability, other animals are not liable to harbour the cysticercus 

 of the Taenia mediocanellata, for Leuckart also tried to infect a 

 sheep (to which he administered about sixty proglottides), but on 

 examining the flesh after the lapse of eight weeks, he failed to detect 

 the presence of a single cysticercus vesicle. 



