PARASITES. 
dtstoma, for I believe it to be such, at least as far as I am able 
to judge in comparing its diagnosis with those mentioned in Davaine, 
Traite des entozoaines," of which at pages 49 and 322 a very- 
accurate description is given, with the exception of some slight 
variations, which only determine this to be a different species. 
" The form of the one (a specimen is herewith sent) now 
spoken of is somewhat more round, which I think may be likened 
in shape to the old-fashioned lady's reticule, and of about the size 
of the nail of the forefinger. The body is compressed, soft, with two 
distinct orifices — one marginal, forming as it were a small pointed 
distension on its margin, the other between the middle and anterior 
sixth of the body. Just above the ventral orifice there is a kind of 
elongated appendage or sucker, in length about the same as the 
body, but when pulled out by the forceps extends beyond the margin ; 
it appears slightly elastic with the end distended. Under the 
microscope the external covering or epidermis appears pitted and, 
when subjected to the action of dilute nitric acid and mounted on 
a slide in Canada balsam, the intestinal ducts are plainly visible 
containing dark-coloured granules, being free near the orifices, but 
thickly reticulated towards the margins with clavate terminations. 
There are, as far as I could discover, no booklets in mouths, as 
stated to be in echinococcus or larvae oi t^nide. From the absence 
of these characteristics, I have been led to conclude it to be a 
species of dtstoma. 
^ * * Davaine mentions that animals such as the ox and 
horse frequenting marshy, swampy places are subject to the dtstoma. 
It is most probably the truth, but I think during very prolonged hot 
weather, when the water is reduced to its lowest stagnant state and 
mixed with the lower organisms of animal life, the elephant then 
imbibes them with the water in their embryonic form. In this 
opinion, I believe, I am in a great sense supported, for from inquiry I 
find the virulent diseases which have attacked cattle in Burma have 
been during a heavy monsoon, after a continued hot season. 
II :^ ^ disease is not one which develops its symptoms 
by different stages, but carries the elephant off in a few hours and 
might, I am sure, be taken for apoplexy, or inflammation of lungs, 
for the symptoms correspond in character with those described by 
Dr. Gilchrist. The elephant exhibits difficulty in breathing ; it 
keeps its mouth open, is restless in most cases, and refuses food ; 
there is a puffiness about the head and shoulders. 
" Besides the Commissariat Department, others have suffered 
in the loss of elephants. The Forest Department lost their elephants, 
and reports have reached me that wild elephants have died. 
This may be, for the wild elephants in a droughty season are 
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