O. V. Huffman 
77 
The distance from the tip of the head to the most anterior loop of the 
oviducts was about twice as great as in preserved specimens. As the 
worm became partially dry the cuticular bosses on top became visible 
as warty plaques like those represented in Blanchard’s well-known 
drawing. This circumstance accounted for his description which we 
were previously unable to reconcile with the neat transparent bosses 
observed by us in preserved specimens. The tail was carried well 
curved with a slight spiral twist. 
In order to keep the worm active, the warm water in which it was 
kept was frequently changed. After examining the structure of the 
parasite we decided to try some experiments to see if we might cause 
the birth of some embryos. With the posterior two-thirds of the worm 
in warm water and the anterior third projecting on to the dry portion of 
the slide, we covered the anterior extremity, as far back as the vulva, 
with a large drop of fresh human blood. The worm immediately gave 
evidence of distaste for the blood by withdrawing its head and moving 
away. An attempt to produce abortion by pressure and by irritation 
was then made, but without avail. Then the worm was placed over 
night in a small phial of warm water in an incubator at 33° C. The 
next morning the worm was quite inactive, and upon examining the 
water no ova or embryos were found. Many bacteria were present as 
the water had not been sterilized nor had the worm been handled in an 
aseptic manner on the previous day. I decided to section the body near 
the vulva to obtain embryos before death supervened. One could see the 
uteri which were intertwined with the loops of the oviducts, they were 
distended with fully developed uncoiled embryos packed in bundles end 
to end. 
As the body was divided transversely with a sharp scalpel, myriads 
of coiled embryos in their sheaths and ova escaped into the drop of 
water on the slide. The embryos were alive, as shown by their swinging 
their anterior one half from side to side or by lifting the anterior half 
upwards. They were not locomotive. No spines or lips were seen. 
No forward and backward motion within the sheath occurred, except 
as it might be caused by outside pressure. I observed coiled embryos 
start the process of uncoiling (see Plate IV, Fig. 1). This seems im¬ 
portant as Manson has held that the sheath of the coiled embryo is the 
same as the larval sheath observed in the blood while Ludwig and Loos 
believe that this sheath is discarded before birth. Livon and Penaud 
observed the disappearance of the egg envelope and the birth of the 
