Annals of the Tkansvaal Museum. 
249 
that this infection of the heart-blood with Lamblia has occurred as the 
result of invasion from the intestines, but the microscopical examination 
of the intestines for this parasite was negative. Also other organs, such 
as the liver and spleen, have not shown the presence of this parasite. The 
fact that the blood did not show the presence of other organisms or bacteria, 
with the exception of Haemoproteus (a very common parasite of birds), 
is a proof that invasion from the intestines had not occurred. 
We have had then to do with a real parasite of the blood, which para- 
site has been recognized only as an intestinal one up to the present time. 
I have found this parasite (see figure) only in the heart cavities, and 
there it was present in fairly large numbers. In the smears taken from 
the surface of the endocardium one could find the parasites in each field 
of the microscope. The length of the parasite without the flagellum is 
about 12 ^., and the breadth measures about 8 seen from above or below. 
The eight characteristic flagella have nearly the same length, and they 
are nearly as long as the body of the parasite, that is about 12 p. 
The motions are extraordinarily active and are due to the lashing 
movements of the flagella, and also to the contractions of the body. The 
double axial rod (Mittelrippe of Benson), together with its system of fine 
fibrils, probably plays a large part in producing these contractile motions. 
These fine fibrils, which connect the basal corpuscles of the flagella together 
and which also have a connection with the Mittelrippe, give to the flagellate 
the well-known bilaterally symmetrical form when seen from the side, and 
the characteristic shape of a pear with a stalk when seen from above or 
below. In comparison with other known Lambliae, such as those of the 
mouse and human subject, the sucker- like depression of this parasite is 
smaller. With this apparatus the parasite can fix itself to the endo- 
cardium. 
Morphologically, Lamblia sanguinis , as I will call this flagellate, does 
not differ markedly from other Lambliae. It chiefly resembles Lamblia 
muris ; the two nuclei are situated closely to the sides of the parasite. 
Their shape is elongated. In immediate contact with each of them there 
is situated a distinct basal corpuscle, and from each of these basal cor- 
puscles there arises a remarkably fine and delicate fibril. These two fine 
fibrils pass to two other basal corpuscles situated anteriorly, from which 
arise the two antero-lateral flagella. These two fibrils, which connect 
these latter corpuscles with those situated in contact with the nuclei, 
form the anterior portion of the border of the concave depression known as 
the “ peristome area 55 . 
From these before-mentioned anterior basal corpuscles there pass 
two flagella which, originating as fine fibrils, pass forwards, and inter-crossing 
turn round to pass along the borders of the parasite on either side, and 
passing to two other basal corpuscles situated about the middle of the 
Lamblia become free. A further pair of fibrils originate from these same 
anterior corpuscles, and pass on the lower aspect of the parasite in an 
almost straight line to two other basal corpuscles situated one on either 
side close to the tail, where they become free. Both pairs of flagella 
represent the anterior and posterior lateral pairs of flagella. 
