Hints for the inquiry into the prevalence of the anchylostoma in India / by L. Rogers.

  • Rogers, Leonard, 1868-1962.
Date:
1900
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Hints for the inquiry into the prevalence of the anchylostoma in India / by L. Rogers. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    5/6 (page 130)
    April 1900.] PARASITES AFFE degree of anemia, in ancliylostoraiasis, than in malarial anaemia. In cases where the anaemia is produced by the combined action of both malaria and anchylostomiasis, the type of the anaemia wiil be intermediate between those of the two primary diseases. The following hints on methods of investi¬ gation may be found useful : J. The examination of the faeces for the ova of the worm. A good way of doing this is to dilute a small piece of the motion with a drop of (1 in 20] carbolic acid, which removes all smell. If no ova of the parasite are found by a systematic search with the microscope inch), it may be taken as pretty certain that ^here are less than twenty of th* worms present, if any, and thymol is not indicated even if anremia is present. The only’ common ovum, which from its thin capsule, clear unstained contents and oval outline, is liable to be mistaken for the anchylostoma is the oxyuris, but the young worm can be seen to be curled up inside them, which is never the case in the anchylostoma. The numbers found will afford a rough indi¬ cation of the number of worms present ’’irr -the intestine. 2. Counting the worms passed-after the f administration of thymol. In order .to obtain >. accurate information as to the number of worms in healthy and diseased persons a 20 to 30 grain dose of thymol should be given, and repeated at the end of three hours ; all the motioifs passed for the,next twenty-four hours being kept for examination. A piece of muslin should now be fastened over the top of a kerosene tin, so that it sags down slightly, the motion should be placed on this and water poured slowly on it, ; while it is being stirred up until all the colour has been removed and only husks of grain and j other solid material remains. This should now be placed in a shallow flat dish of tin with a layer of water. On slightly stirring up 1 the detritus with a piece of wood, the white ■ ^listening anchylostomata worms can easily be picked out, the smaller ones with finely branched tails being the ftiales. Thymol should never i be given to advanced cases of malarial cachexia or dysentery for diagnostic purposes, but only ; when the ova have been found to be numerous in the faeces by microscopical examination, then the drug must be used with caution, as this ! drastic form of treatment may be very dangerous j in such cases. ! » i PARASITES FOUND ON MOSQUITOS. , By C. J. FEARNSIDB, M B., C. M , CAPTAIN, T.M.3., Superintendent, Central Jail, Rajahmundry, . _ 1 Every one who lives in the tropics has ex- j perienced both the buzz and the bite of the