554 
Tetratrichomonas buccalis 
A NOTE ON THE TRICHOMONAD FLAGELLATE 
TETRATRICHOMONAS BUCCALIS n. sp. 
By T. GOODEY. 
In several of the recent papers dealing with Entamoeba gingivalis, 
mention is made of the occurrence in preparations from the mouth of 
a trichomonad flagellate. One writer, Lynch (1915), names it Tricho¬ 
monas vaginalis evidently identifying it with the flagellate bearing that 
name. Other writers adopt the course followed by the text-books of 
including the organism under the name T. hominis or T. intestinalis 
and so identifying it with the human intestinal form. The only pub¬ 
lished figures showing the appearance of the organism are those 
attributed to v. Prowazek which are however very unsatisfactory. In 
the light of these considerations the following note is put forward as an 
attempt to present some accurate information as to the appearance and 
structure of the organism. 
The flagellate was found fairly plentifully in material consisting of 
food d&oris, etc., removed from between the lower incisors of one of the 
cases examined by us. Hanging-drop preparations were made and 
examined on the warm-stage, and though at first the flagellates did 
not appear to be numerous, after a short time they were found in fairly 
large numbers, actively moving about in the drop. 
Their movements were very rapid, and it was impossible to deter¬ 
mine anything concerning the number and movement of the flagella, 
neither could it be ascertained whether an undulating membrane was 
present. 
The posterior end was frequently seen to be much drawn out into 
a long tapering point, and the organisms often displayed great amoeboid 
activity, sending out pseudopodial extensions, both anteriorly and 
posteriorly. 
The hanging-drops were fixed and stained so that the organisms 
could be studied in detail. 
It was found that in staining with iron-haematoxylin the flagellates 
differentiated very quickly, so that by the time the leucocytes and 
amoebae on the films were differentiated, the flagellates were prac¬ 
tically decolorised entirely. It was therefore necessary to differentiate 
for a short time,, and by this means, satisfactorily stained flagellates 
were obtained. 
