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Filaria volvulus 
neighbourhood of the floating ribs as the favourite site for these 
tumours. Enucleation is usually not difficult though care should be 
taken to remove the tumours intact. As a rule, the excised growth is 
found to consist of two or three tumours of varying sizes all closely 
invested with a strong dense fibrous capsule. On section the com¬ 
position of these tumours soon becomes apparent, and the peculiar 
testicular feeling experienced on palpation is explained. An opaque 
grumous fluid exudes from the tumour which is now seen to be com¬ 
posed almost entirely of an inextricable meshwork of filarial worms. 
These would appear to be most closely interwoven in what might be 
called the cortex of the tumour, while usually there is a central cavity 
which is bridged in every direction by the more or less disengaged 
portions of male and female worms. 
Attempts to tease out portions of the tumour are attended with 
great difficulty owing to the manner in which these fragile little 
nematodes lie imbedded in the fibrous stroma. This fibrous tissue is 
probably formed as a result of reaction against the presence of the 
worms; and the fact that the adult F. volvulus has a rough and 
transversely corded cuticle makes it easy to account for the irritation 
that is set up. Or, it may be that the fibrosis is the result of some 
special secretion or excretion on the part of the worm. The fluid 
found in these tumours seems to vary somewhat according to the age of 
the tumour. In young tumours the fluid is scanty in quantity, and 
of a semi-opaque milky appearance. In older and larger tumours, on 
the other hand, it becomes thicker and more opaque, and takes on a 
dirty yellowish tinge; it may even assume a reddish colour as Zupitza 
has pointed out (cited by Ftilleborn, 1908). Microscopical examination 
reveals the fact that the fluid of these tumours contains ova and 
embryos in large quantities together with fatty particles and cellular 
ddbris. As regards the adult inhabitants there seems to be a 
preponderance of females over males, but anything like an accurate 
count is well nigh impossible. In all probability a tumour 1 inch long 
would contain at least four females and three males, and here I think 
an observation in Prout’s paper (1901) calls for some criticism. This 
observer states that he only found one female in a tumour 1 inch long 
and, on piecing the bits together, it measured 16 inches. It seems very 
doubtful whether a worm so narrow and slender would attain such a 
length, and it appears probable that the pieces belonged to several 
females. The small size of the male, too, rather supports this view as 
it is usually about half the length of the female. 
