SPURIOUS HELMINTHOLOGY. 



CHAPTER I. 



PBNTASTOMA TJJNIOIDBS. 



Greneral and specific characters of Pentastoma tcenioides — Occurrence of this parasite 

 in the human subject in its larval condition — Structure of the so-called Pentastoma 

 denticulatum — How the eggs and embryos may gain access to our bodies — Pruner's 

 discovery of a second species of human Pentastome — Its characters contrasted with 

 those of the larva of Pentastoma tcenioides. 



As I propose to devote two brief chapters to the consideration of 

 the Pseudehninths (taking the word in its widest sense), it is 

 fortunate that the subject will naturally divide itself into two dis- 

 tinct sections. In the first division I place those Entozoa which 

 are not referable to the class of Helminths (= Acanthotheca of 

 Diesing) ; and in the second section I include all the Pseud-entozoa, 

 whether they be merely misplaced worms, non-parasitic animals, or 

 any kind of animal and vegetable substances or organisms which 

 have been erroneously described as belonging to the class of 

 Entozoa. One would naturally prefer to leave these out altogether ; 

 but since many persist in maintaining the helminthic character of 

 all sorts of strange products ; and since, moreover, it is necessary 

 that the medical practitioner should be on his guard against 

 imposition, I have thought it would render this work more useful 

 and complete, if I gave an outhne of this part of the subject, how- 

 ever short it might be necessary to make it. In the present 

 chapter I shall treat of the first section of the pseudelminths,, 



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