MTIOLOGY 



1621 



From this time onwards the observations on myiasis increase in 

 number — e.g., Duncan in 1854, while in 1856 Lahory described 

 * peenash/ an East Indian name for an infection due to the larvae of 

 sarcophaga, while in 1879 Portschinsky again drew attention to 

 gastro-intestinal myiasis. From 1890 to 1896 there appeared a 

 series of classical works by R. Blanchard on myiasis in general. 

 From 1895 to the present time Austen has contributed many 

 valuable articles dealing with these infestations. In 1903 Ward gave 

 an excellent and well-illustrated account of the larva of Dermatohia 

 hominis, Kayser in 1905 of ocular myiasis, Henneberg in 1903 and 

 Vesescu in 1906 of aural myiasis, the Sergents in 1907 of thim'ni, and 

 in 1908 Austen and Smith gave accounts of infestation with Cordy- 

 lohia anthropophaga. In 19 13 Rodhain, Pons, and others, studied 

 the method of infection by this maggot. Finally, in 1915, Sambon 

 gave an interesting account of Dermatohia hominis and its larva. 



The above history is sufficient to indicate the large amount of 

 scattered literature in existence dealing with the subject of myiasis 

 in one or more of its phases, and of which Peiper's book, published 

 in 1900, gives a summary. 



etiology.— At the present moment too little is known as to the 

 characters of the larvae of the diptera to permit their recogni- 

 tion, unless belonging to a well-known species, and it is obviously 

 incorrect to assume that larvae are those of a given fly. It is there- 

 fore necessary for the medical observer to: — 



1. Preserve specimens of the larvae, as little damaged as 



possible, in 4 per cent, formalin, and held in position in 

 the tube by means of fine tissue-paper. 



2. Rear the larvae or pupae and so obtain the imago, which 



should be fed for a day or so before being killed, and 

 should then be carefully mounted and preserved. Mr. 

 Austen has asked that some of the larvae should be placed 

 at once on the top of a pot of fairly dry earth, which is 

 then covered with muslin. After the flies have appeared 

 they should be allowed to remain undisturbed for about 

 twenty-four hours in order that they may dry themselves, 

 and in order that they may develop their specific colours, 

 after which they may be killed with chloroform, screwed 

 up in cigarette-paper, packed in small metal boxes, and 

 forwarded to England for identification. 



3. Label all the specimens, especially noting the part of the body 



infected, the locality of infection, and the time of the year. 



4. Send the complete collection to the British Museum, Natural 



History Section, Cromwell Road, London, S.W. 



If this is done systematically it will be possible to obtain a correct 

 diagnosis as to the fly causing the myiasis. 



The lists of flies known to cause the various forms of myiasis will 

 be given under the different diseases, but it may be noted that the 

 principal families concerned are: — 



