Parasites: A Treatise on the Entozoa of Man and Animals: Including Some Account of the EctozoaCobbold, T. Spencer (Thomas Spencer)
Science
Parasites: A Treatise on the Entozoa of Man and Animals: Including Some Account of the Ectozoa
Cobbold, T. Spencer (Thomas Spencer)
Helminths; Parasites
Dr Leidy, of Philadelphia, admitted _A. alata_ among his _Entozoa
hominis_ without comment (‘Smithsonian Contrib.’ for April, 1853), but
Weinland, of Frankfort, in his list, prefixed a note of interrogation,
observing also that it had been “once” found in Ireland (‘Essay on
Tapeworms,’ p. 88). It is quite clear, therefore, that these authors did
not believe that the _Ascaris mystax_ was a human parasite. Those who
doubtfully accepted Bellingham’s _A. alata_ did so under the impression
that whatever it was, it could not be regarded as the common Ascaris of
the cat. In the new edition of Davaine’s ‘Traité,’ _A. alata_ is, to my
surprise, still retained as a separate species, and there is no mention
of the occurrence of _A. mystax_ in man. From what has recently been
written by several continental helminthologists (Leuckart, Heller, and
others), I rejoice to think that it is not necessary for me again to
advance the really superabounding proofs that Bellingham’s _A. alata_
was nothing more than _A. mystax_. It has at length been admitted
by almost all who are competent to form an opinion, that the memoir
originally communicated to the ‘Lancet,’ in 1863, and subsequently
introduced into the text of my introductory work, finally settled the
question of identity. It was through the donation of Dr Edwin Lankester
and Mr Scattergood that I was enabled at the time to announce the _third
instance_ of the occurrence of this parasite in man, and since that date
several other instances have been brought under public notice. Not less
than seven cases have now been noticed in which this little lumbricoid
of the cat and dog has been found in man. For one good human specimen I
am indebted to Dr Morton. In the above list I include Heller’s specimen,
and the one from Greenland sent by Steenstrup to Leuckart. According to
Hering’s observations this worm grows with remarkable rapidity. Worms
obtained from a puppy only six days old measured from 1/12″ to 1/6″ in
length. In a twelve-day-old puppy they reached nearly an inch in length,
and in a month the growth was up to four inches. Females only 1-1/2″ in
length already contained eggs, and males only 3/4″ long had acquired
their spicules. Three weeks therefore, would be amply sufficient for
the completion of sexual maturity within the feline or canine host. We
do not know, however, whether or not a temporary host is necessary for
the larvæ prior to their introduction into the cat or dog. Hering thinks
that a direct infection by the ova is sufficient; but he gives no proof
of the truth of this hypothesis. “Leuckart (as quoted by Heller, l.
c., s. 615) found numerous embryonal round worms in the stomach of a
cat, 1/62″ in length, and in addition all the intermediate stages of
growth up to the larger examples found in the small intestine. They
remain in the stomach until they have attained a length of from 1/18″ to
1/12″ and then pass into the small intestine. When they have attained a
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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