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Observations on some Worms found in the Aortas 
of Buffaloes and Bullocks. 
Gnoh Lean Tuck, m.b., b.c., camb. 
Research Student , Emmanuel College, Cambridge. 
In the “ Veterinary Record ” of June 14th, 1902, there appeared a short 
paper on “ Aortic Worms ” by Mr. T. A. Ford, m.r.c.v.s., Government 
Veterinary Surgeon of Selangor. 
Following up this interesting line of investigation, I have made a more 
extended study of the aortic worms. At least two different kinds are found 
in the aortas of buffaloes and in those of bullocks. In their several 
morphological and anatomical characteristics they belong to the family 
Filariidae. 
Previous to Ford’s publication (toe. cit.), nothing had to my knowledge 
been written about these worms and the tumours found in the aortas of so 
many buffaloes and bullocks. I record here my own observations. The 
method adopted was as follows :— 
Each day all the aortas of the buffaloes and bullocks killed at the local 
slaughter house were dissected out by the butcher and sent to the Institute 
for Medical Research for my examination. Each specimen was then opened 
with a pair of scissors along the median line of the ventral or anterior wall, 
because of the usual attachment of these tumours and worms to the 
posterior wall. The number of tumours and worms present was in each 
case counted, and the latter dissected out in water in order to find the 
frequency of males in them. This work extended from the first week in 
February to the first week in June, 1904. 
Frequency of Aortic Worms and Tumours in Buffaloes. 
Altogether 93 buffaloes were examined, and the results are tabulated as 
follows:— 
No. of Aortas 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
examined ... ... 93 
containing worms ... 67 
with scars, cords and aneurysms 21 
normal . ... 3 
306. 
3.5 nearly. 
Percentage. 
Total number of worms in 93 aortas 
Average for each infected aorta 
22.6 
54 
It should be mentioned that one worm corresponded to each tumour, 
but the former was occasionally torn off during conveyance, giving the 
impression that there was no worm. The head could, however, always be 
found inside the tumour if searched for. 
The principal facts shown by the above table are the large percentage 
(72) of vessels "which contained these worms, and the small number of aortas 
(5.4 per cent.), which were healthy. 
A certain proportion of aortas (22.6 per cent.), though not containing 
any living worms, presented round oval corrugated spots, fibrous in character 
and rather deeply sunken in. These were once tumours. When the worm 
dies it shrinks up, with the result that a firm, white, fibrous cord is left. 
