332 ENTOZOA. 



? 23. FlLARlA LENTTS. 



F. lentis, Diesing ; Weinland ; Gervais and Van Beneden. 

 F. oculi-humani, Nordmann ; Gescheidt ; Ammon ; etc. 

 F. ocuU, Owen ; Moquin-Tandon. 



As Kuchenmeister suggests, this worm may possibly turn out 

 to be identical with the Filaria lacrymalis (Gurlt), a viviparous 

 species infesting the eye of the horse. It was first discovered by 

 Nordmann (1831) in a case of lenticular cataract under the care of 

 Yon Grafe, and subsequently found by Jiingken under similar cir- 

 cumstances. M. Davaine also mentions another comparatively 

 recent case of Filaria in the anterior chamber of the eye, but fiill 

 particulars of it do not appear to have ever been published. The case, 

 previously cited, is by Sichel (" Iconographie ophthalmologique," 

 p. 707), from whom we gather that the specimen was brought for- 

 ward by Quadri of Naples, the latter authority exhibiting the parasite 

 in situ at a meeting of the Ophthalmological C ongress held at Brussels . 

 Then, again, there is the case observed by Gescheidt, in which Von 

 Ammon operated for cataract. In this instance, there were three 

 Filariae, two of which measured about I of an inch apiece, whilst 

 the third was only about the iV in length. The two former were 

 regarded as females, but it is more than doubtful if any of them 

 were sexually mature. The same, probably, may be said of all the 

 others hitherto mentioned, and this being the case, it becomes im- 

 possible to say how many distinct species of Bntozoa these several 

 examples of so-called Filariae may happen to represent. To my 

 mind, all of them are embryonic nematodes which have accidentally, 

 or otherwise, selected the human body as their intermediary host. 

 As I said before, we have no certain evidence that any of these 

 worms had developed sexual organs in their interior. It is true 

 that the reproductive organs were described in two of the worms 

 observed by Gescheidt ; but after a due consideration of all the facts 



