INTESTINAL HELMINTHIASIS. 



261 



merina. They are probably due to the intense paius produced by 

 enteritis. By accumulating in certain places, the tœnias may pro- 

 duce a complete obstruction of the intestine, and death. 



Lesbre has observed a very remarkable and unique case of 

 auto-infection of the dog through Tœnia serrata {Cysticerms pisci- 

 formis — in the brain ? ) ; as symptoms he especially noticed nervous 

 troubles, grinding of the teeth, and unusual movements. 



The larva of the Tœnia cucumerina, found by Melnikow in the 

 triohodeete of the dog, has received the name of Cryptocystis Tricho- 

 dectidis. The dogs would be infected by ingesting tricliodectes. 

 But something which is at least very strange is the fact thas the 

 dogs with cucumerine tsenias are but very rarely affected with 

 trichodectes ; we have hardly ever found any, and think that this 

 is not the usual mode of infection.^ 



2. In the ovine species the Tœnia expansa may produce an 

 epizootic helminthiasis. Epizootic tseniasis of lambs is frequent 

 during wet summers in subjects which are kept in swampy pastures. 

 Very young sheep are particularly predisposed to contract Tœnia 

 expansa ; in older ones its development is favored by debilitating 

 diseases and dysentery (Spinola). The Tœnia expansa is remark- 

 able by its extremely rapid growth. Spinola has found worms ten 

 metres long in lambs four weeks old ; this assertion has led to the 

 erroneous acceptance of the idea of an intra-uterine infection. 



The symptoms of epizootic tseniasis are in no way different from 

 those of cachexia ; the patients show all the signs of anemia ; the 

 skin and conjunctiva are pale, the wool is clear, deprived of fat, 

 and may be easily pulled out, etc. Later we observe the manifes- 

 tations of digestive troubles. The appetite becomes capricious, and 

 rumination is no longer regularly performed; the young animals 

 are thin and develop slowly ; they are weak, they do not try to 

 escape when an attempt is made to catch them, and they drag 

 behind the flock. There is ordinarily constipation ; at certain 

 times we observe restlessness, anxiety ; the animals lie down and 

 rise again immediately ; they arch the back, lift the tail, and make 

 useless efforts at defecation ; we can detect a slight swelling. When 

 cachexia is advanced, diarrhea occurs, and the weakness is soon 

 extreme. Arrived at this stage, the disease is absolutely incurable, 



1 In fact, the recent researches of Grassi have shown that it is more frequently the 

 dog's flea which plays the rôle of intermediary. — n, d. t. 



