366 
Filaria volvulus 
seem to agree. The embryos of F. volvulus, however, have a much 
thicker cuticular integument than is seen in other microfilariae of 
man, and the cuticle is transversely striated. 
The Embryos measure 24 mm. in length. In stained specimens we 
were able to make out the central core of nuclei as described in the 
microfilariae. These granules, however, appeared to be more numerous 
and smaller than usual and we were not able to determine definitely 
the 1 breaks ’ in the core corresponding to the rudiment of the nerve 
ring, to the excretory pore, and genital stolon. 
Development. All observers agree that these worms live in local dilata¬ 
tions of lymphatics, and that most probably the filarial embryos pass 
from these into the blood stream and are transmitted by biting insects. 
No observer has however detected the embryos in the blood. My own 
experience confirms these observations. Although it was evident from 
an examination of the contents of the tumours that millions of embryos 
were being discharged at the time of removal of the tumour I failed to 
find in repeated examinations any sign of these in the blood. 
The distribution of the disease, as at present known, suggests the 
existence of a riverine intermediary, but of the further development of 
the parasite nothing is at present known, and this remains a problem for 
the future. 
Fig. 1. Filaria volvulus Leuckart 3 . 
Posterior end of a male specimen showing disposition of the papillae as seen from the 
left side. The solitary papillae lying midway between the peri-anal and the caudal groups 
is unpaired. The larger spicule is not shown in its entirety. 
Symptoms and Treatment. As already stated, the presence of 
F. volvulus in the human subject appears to give rise to no symptoms 
or even inconvenience. The subjects of these tumours regard them 
as harmless possessions, and usually dismiss the matter with the remark 
that the tumour has existed for a very long time, and no longer con- 
