1840 



THE DYSENTERIES 



(g) Entoplasmic Dysentery. 



In two cases of dysentery contracted apparently in Burma, Castellani 

 observed peculiar protozoal bodies, while amcebse and dysentery bacilli were 

 absent. In fresh preparations one sees large rather elongated or oval bodies 

 with one extremity, the one which in stained preparations appears mammillary, 

 shaken, so to speak, by an extremely frequent vibrating movement, which 

 makes one suspect the presence of fiagella or cilia, or an undulating membrane. 

 No such structures, however, can be detected either in fresh preparations or in 

 slides stained with the usual methods, such as Giemsa, iron — haematoxylin, etc. 



The protoplasm presents numerous roundish vacuoles, none of which is 

 contractile . No distinct nucleus is evident in fresh preparations . The parasite 

 does not emit true pseudopodia, but changes in the shape of the body take place. 



Stained Preparations.— The typical forms have a peculiar fiask-hke appear- 

 ance, but round forms are also found, the maximum diameter varying between 

 45 and 80 microns. In preparations stained with Leishman the protoplasm 

 is stained blue and presents numerous non-stained roundish vacuoles regularly 

 distributed all over. In certain individuals a large mass of chromatoid 

 roundish coccoid granules are present, which represent, according to Mesnil, a 

 diffuse nucleus. In one specimen the granules were bacillary in shape. In 

 none of the bodies were fiagella, cilia, or evidence of any undulating 

 membrane seen by Castellani, Mesnil or any protozoologist to whom the 



specimens were submitted. It may 

 be, of course, that such organs were 

 of such extremely delicate nature that 

 they required the use of special methods 

 to put them in evidence. 



Zoological Position of the Parasite. — 

 It is impossible to classify this parasite, 

 which, for convenience' sake, might 

 be maintained in the temporary genus 

 Entoplasma, until further researches 

 render possible its proper classifica- 

 tion. The suggestion has been made 

 that these bodies are probably forms 

 of Chilomastix mesnili Wenyon, but 

 the size of the bodies apart from other 

 characters is evidently against this 

 hypothesis. 



Symptomatology. — This was identical 

 to what one sees in a case of amoebic 

 Fig. y 66. —Entoplasma castellanii or bacterial dysentery of medium 

 Paul, 191 4. gravity, the stools containing blood 



and mucus. 



Treatment. — Salines were administered with good effects. Emetine was 

 also given, but it is difficult to say whether it had any part in inducing the 

 cure of the condition. 



II. THE PLATYHELMINTHIC DYSENTERIES. 



Fasciolopsis buski, Schistosoma japonicum, and S. mansoni cause dysen- 

 teric symptoms, which can only be diagnosed by the discovery of the eggs in 

 the motions. The symptoms produced by the latter worms are described in 

 detail in Chapter LXXIX. (p. 1864), while those of the former still require 

 detailed investigation. 



III. THE NEMATHELMINTHIC DYSENTERIES. 

 Nemathelminthic dysentery is due to the sclerostome {CEsophagostomum 

 brumpti Railliet and Henry, 1905), immature females of which were found by 

 Brumpt in cyst-like nodules in the caecum and colon of a negro in West Africa. 

 Similar symptoms are caused by (Es. stephanosiomum var. ihomasi Railliet 

 and Henry, 1909, discovered in South America by Thomas (see p. 661). 



