venal distomiasis. Christopherson (1918) proposed the use of tartar 
emetic intravenously for the treatment of this disease, this drug 
having been used previously in intravenous injections for the treat¬ 
ment of rats infested with the trypanosomes of nagana and surra by 
Plimmer and Thompson (1907), of sleeping sickness by Broden and 
Rodhain (1908), for American leishmaniasis by Vianna and Machade 
(1913), and for Mediterranean and Indian leishmaniasis by other 
workers subsequently. Christopherson’s findings in regard to the 
value of the treatment in venal distomiasis were confirmed by the 
findings of McDonagh (1918), Wiley (1918), Low (1920), Cawston 
(1920-1921), Christopherson and Newlove (1921), Day (1921), Las- 
brey and Coleman (1921) and others. Cawston (1921) finds that both 
emetine and tartar emetic are effective against Schistosoma haema¬ 
tobium S. mansoni and S. bovis. Day (1920) believes that emetine 
is indicated in preference to tartar emetic for small children, per¬ 
sons with veins too small to inject readily, persons intolerant of 
tartar emetic, those in whom an error of technic has resulted in 
abscess formation and in cases complicated by amebiasis. He also 
finds colloidal antimony effective and to be preferred to tartar 
emetic for treating children. Cawston (1921) prefers emetine to tar¬ 
tar emetic for children and young persons. Recently, Wilson (1922) 
has reported favorably on the rectal administration of tartar emetic, 
a method which saves time, is free from risk, and causes less nausea 
and vomiting. The drug is absorbed by the veins of the intestine, 
thereby coming in contact with the worms in the blood. 
VALUE OF MEDICATION NOT KNOWN 
Little is known as yet with regard to the value of anthelmintics 
against other flukes outside of the lumen of the digestive tract. Ac¬ 
cording to a review, Ando (1918) has had good results in the treat¬ 
ment of infestations with the lung fluke, Paragonimus westermani, 
by means of tartar emetic, but no details of these studies are avail¬ 
able to us. Low (1920), believes that this drug will be of value 
against P. westermani, Clonorchis and other flukes, but evidence in 
regard to such efficacy appears to be lacking as yet. It may be sur- 
69 
