•46 
Magazine  of  the  School  of  Agriculture . 
of  this  family  indigenous  to  Ceylon,  eg.,  O.  Canum 
(Sin.  Hintala),  0.  Suave,  O.  Adscendens,  0.  Gratis- 
simum  (Sin.  Otala),  nearly  all  of  which  are  used  in 
Sinhalese  medicine.  Plantago  Isphagula  belongs 
to  ft  family  of  which  there  is  one  indigenous  (P. 
Asiatics)  and  one  naturalised  member  (P.  Lanceo- 
lata)..  Seeds  of  P.  Isphagula  were  given  to  us  by 
Major-General  La  Touche  who  spoke  highly  of  their 
curative  properties  in  cases  of  dysentry  in  the  treat- 
ment of  which  he  had  never  known  them  to  fail. 
Many  doctors  in  India  and  one  or  two  in  Ceylon 
had  tried  the  remedy  at  the  request  of  the  General 
and  found  it  very  effectual. 
Salvia  Plebia,  another  Labiate,  belongs  to  the 
sage  family  and  possesses  medicinal  properties  in 
its  seeds  similar  to  those  of  the  seeds  already  men- 
tioned, and  Tokmari,  Street  Past/,  Isphagula  and 
Salvia  Plebia  are  generally  combined  in  Molia- 
medan  prescription. 
In  this  connection  it  may  be  mentioned  that  the 
roots  and  leaves  of  Pleotranthus  Zeglanicus  (Sin. 
Eeriweriya)  a Labiate,  is  one  of  the  well  known  Sin- 
halese remedies  for  dysentery, — another  being 
Ptgcotis  Agowan  (Sin.  Asamodagan).  The  latest 
number  of  Imports  has  under  the  head  of  new 
remedies  the  following  reference  to  the  last-named 
plant : — 
“ Agowan  contains  much  thymol,  to  which  it 
probably  owes  its  medical  properties.  Dr.  Waring 
regards  this,  of  all  umbelliferous  seeds,  as  the  most 
efficient  carminative,  and  bespeaks  for  it  a trial  in 
cholera,  in  which,  it  is  alleged,  even  in  empirical 
practice  it  has  done  wonders.  It.  has  also  been 
strongly  recommended  as  a remedy  for  dipsomania 
or  alcoholism,  and  is  worthy  of  further  trial  for 
this  purpose.  Applied  externally,  as  a constituent 
of  poultices,  it  relieves  pain.  The  above  refers  to 
the  well-known  Omum  Seeds.  We  prepare  Omiim 
water  from  these.” 
Among  the  natives  Pimpinella  Heyneana  (Sin. 
Wal-asamodagam),  is  used  in  place  of  the  above. 
Allied  to  these  two  ar e Pimpinella  anicum  (aniseed), 
Anethym  graveolens  (dill),  Cuminum  cyminum 
(cumin)  and  Carum  carai  (caraway)  all  possessing 
carminative  and  aromatic  properties. 
ZOOLOGICAL  NOTES  FOR  AGRICULTURAL 
STUDENTS. 
The  Gysticercus  tennieollis,  slender  or  long- 
necked hydatid,  is  found  in  the  abdominal  or 
pelvic  cavity  of  the  sheep,  the  pig,  the  ox  and 
the  fowl.  Its  progenitor  is  the  Taenia  marginata 
of  the  dog.  It  is  found  suspended,  sometimes  in 
lar»e  numbers,  in  an  adventitious  (nutient) 
membrane  to  the  outside  of  the  abdominal  organs, 
most  largely  to  the  omentum  (or  caul,  a mem- 
brane covering  the  lower  intestines)  and  mesen- 
tery, presenting  the  appearance  of  bladders 
varying  in  size  from  a bean  to  a hen’s  egg  and 
containing  a transparent  fluid.  These  hydatids 
are  of  less  importance  than  are  others  that  are 
found  in  the  bodies  of  animals,  and  being  situated 
on  the  outside  of  organs,  they  do  not  interfere 
with  them  functionally  or  mechanically,  but  all 
such  bladders,  says  Frofessor  Wally,  should  be 
carefully  removed  and  effectually  destroyed.  If 
preserved  they  will,  of  course,  be  the  means  of 
propagating  the  tapeworm  in  the  dog. 
1 The  Cysticercus  pisiformis  is  found  mainly  in 
the  abdominal  cavity  of  the  rabbit  and  the  hare, 
and  in  an  immature  state,  in  the  liver  of  these 
animals.  Its  progenitor  is  the  Taenia  serrata  of 
the  dog.  It  sometimes  exists  in  such  large 
numbers  ns  to  cause  emaciation  and  dealt  of  its 
host.  The  abdominal  contents  of  hares  and  rab- 
bits should  therefore  be  carefully  removed  and 
all  discovered  cysts  destroyed.  The  tapeworm  is 
however  limited  to  the  carnivora. 
The  Cysticercus  cellulosa  is  found  inhabiting  the 
inter-muscular  connective  tissue  of  the  pig,  pro- 
ducing the  condition  known  as  measles.  It  exists 
in  enormous  numbers  in  the  body  ot  its  host.  Its 
progenitor  is  the  Taenia  solium  or  solitary  tapeworm 
of  man.  In  addition  to  its  being  found  in  the 
muscles,  it  is  sometimes  located  in  very  large  num- 
bers in  the  liver  and  in  the  spleen,  giving  that 
organ  on  section,  a peculiar  mottled  and  pitted 
appearance,  and  rendering  it  of  a more  solid  con- 
sistence than  normal.  A careful  examination  of 
the  peculiar  greyish  spot  reveals  their  cystic 
character,  and  when  the  cysts  are  removed  by  the 
aid  of  a pin  or  a needle,  a space  is  left  behind, 
While  the  hydatid  is  found  mainly  in  the  pig, 
it  sometimes  finds  a ho3t  in  other  animals, 
and  is  known  to  co-exist  with  the  tapeworm 
in  man.  If  the  mouth  of  an  effected  pig  be  ex- 
amined a row  of  translucent  bead-like  tumours 
may  be  detected  on  the  lower  edges  of  the  tongue 
or  between  it  and  the  lower  jaw.  When  the  flesh 
of  the  pig  is  cut  up,  the  section  presents  a pale 
flabby  appearance,  and  imparts  a shiny  feel  to 
the  fingers,  it  is  soft  and  apparently  dropsical. 
The  bladder  can  be  readily  distinguished  on  close 
inspection  of  the  muscles.  If  the  hydatids  have 
been  in  exsistence  for  a considerable  period,  their 
coats  will  have  undergone  calcareous  degeneration 
and  in  this  case  a grating. sensation  is  imparted  to 
the  knife  on  cutting. 
The  chalky  condition  just  referred  to  is,  says 
Frofessor  Wally,  frequently  met  with,  in  hams 
both  of  home  and  foreign  production.  While  the 
devouring  of  measly  pork  in  a raw  or  semi-cooked 
condition  by  man  would  inevitably  produce  the 
tapeworm,  such  a result  could  be  prevented  by 
proper  cooking,  as  a temperature  of  from  140°  to 
lo0°  is  sufficient  to  kill  all  forms  of  hydatids. 
That  tapeworm  infection  of  man  from  measly  pork 
is  of  tolerably  frequent  occurrence  is  proved  by 
the  fact  that  the  Tania  solium  is  so  often  found  in- 
fecting the  human  intestines  ; and  this  fact  is 
sufficient  to  warrant  the  condemnation  of  all 
measly  flesh. 
The  Gysticercus  Bovis  (beef  measle)  has  its 
habitat  in  the  muscles  of  the  ox  (mostly  in  the 
calf)  in  the  same  situation  as  that  occupied  by 
the  C.  celluloses,  in  the  pig.  It  is,  however,  found 
to  the  greatest  extent  in  the  muscles  of  the 
haunch,  and  the  muscular  parities  of  the 
heart.  As  in  the  pig,  so  in  the  calt  the  hyda- 
tids are  numerously  developed  in  the  mouth.  Its 
progenitor  is  T.  mediocanellata  of  man  and 
it  is — owing  to  the  dirty  habits  of  some  of  the 
natives — met  with  much  more  frequently  in 
India  than  elsewhere.  The  remarks  already 
made  in  reference  to  C.  celluloscee  of  the  pig 
apply  in  a sanitary  sense  to  beef  measle  also. 
The  history  of  Gysticercus  Ovis  (mutton  measle) 
has  not  yet  been  satisfactorily  traced,  that  is  to 
say  the  tapeworm  from  which  it  originates  has 
not  been  identified, 
