354 MASTIGOPHORA AND PROTOMONADINA 



donthcB, which he said had six fiagella, and T. intestinalis, which he 

 depicted with four flagella). 



There is, however, a peculiar matter which must be referred to. 

 Schaudinn stated that trichomonas becomes an amoeba, and that 

 two of these amoebse, after giving off reduction bodies, became en- 

 cysted together and conjugated. The zygote divided into several 

 portions, leaving a considerable nucleus de reliquat. Gauducheau 

 has described amoeboid forms becoming a trichomonas, but such 

 observations have failed to meet with confirmation so far, and are 

 therefore suh judice. 



Trichomonas vaginalis Donne, 1837. 



Synonym. — Trichomonas irregularis Salisbury, 1868. 



This parasite lives in the vagina when the reaction of the mucus is 

 acid. It is found in Europe, and we have observed it in Ceylon and 

 in equatorial Africa. It has also been reported to occur in the 

 urethra in men, after cohabitation with women infected with the 

 parasite. 



It is not transferable to rabbits, guinea-pigs, or dogs. It has 

 not been cultivated, nor is it understood how women become 

 infected. 



T, vaginalis is fusiform or pear-shaped in appearance, length 

 from 15 to 25 [ji, and breadth from 7 to 12 The non- flagellate 

 extremity is pointed and the flagellate extremity rounded. The 

 parasite is generally considered to be harmless, but we have, how- 

 ever, found it much more frequently in women suffering from 

 vaginitis than in normal women. 



Trichomonas hominis Davaine, 1854. 



Synonyms.— Cefcowowas hominis Davaine, 1854; intestinalis 

 Lambl,i875 ; T. intestinalis Leuckart, 1879 ; Monocercomonas hominis 

 Grassi, 1882; Cimcenomonas hominis Grassi, 1883. 



The utmost confusion has existed between this species, Oicomonas 

 hominis and T. vaginalis. It has been found in cases of diarrhoea in 

 Europe, India, and Ceylon, but in small numbers may be found also 

 in the intestine of individuals apparently healthy; it has also been 

 reported from the mouth cavity and stomach. It seems to prefer 

 to live in alkaline mucus. 



T. hominis is pear-shaped, with a breadth of from 18 to 25 {jl, 

 with three flagella at its broadest end, and an undulating membrane. 

 The cytoplasm contains a rather indistinct nucleus, and one or 

 several non-pulsating vacuoles. 



It has not been transmitted to animals, nor has it been cultivated. 

 It can reproduce by longitudinal division, but forms are to be seen 

 indicating encystment and conjugation. Alexeieff considered at 

 one time the bodies described as trichomonas cysts to be in reality an 

 ascomycetes fungus, which he called Blastocystis enterocola and 

 Brumpt used ih^ t^nn Blastocystis hominis. 



