Onchocerca gibsoni : the cause of worm nodules in Australian cattle / by J.A. Gilruth and Georgina Sweet ; with notes on worm nests in Australian cattle and in camels (extracts from Report of Government Bureau of Microbiology of New South Wales for 1909) / by J. Burton Cleleand and T. Harvey Johnston.

  • Gilruth, J. A.
Date:
1911
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Onchocerca gibsoni : the cause of worm nodules in Australian cattle / by J.A. Gilruth and Georgina Sweet ; with notes on worm nests in Australian cattle and in camels (extracts from Report of Government Bureau of Microbiology of New South Wales for 1909) / by J. Burton Cleleand and T. Harvey Johnston. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Vlll worm. Again, we have found that neither the adult parasite nor the immature sexless larvae are able to retain their vitality under the most favourable conditions for more than two days after the death of the host. It does not, therefore, require even the process of freezing or of cooking to destroy the life of these parasites, but even were they more resistant than they are to ordinary influences, it is certain that these processes would speedily cause their death. But beyond all this, a study of the life-history of parasites in general, and of those closely allied to this species in par- ticular, enables us to confidently affirm that under no circum- stances could they infect the human being, whether introduced along with the food or otherwise. Indeed, it may be further assumed that they are unlikely to be found in the tissues of any other domesticated animal, even in the closely-related buffalo, so specialised are such parasites for individual species of mammals. Thus, from all points of view, the contention is justified that, so far as the public health of this or any other country is concerned, they are absolutely innocuous. That from the commercial point of view these parasites are important to a country exporting large quantities of beef for human consumption cannot, however, be gainsaid, and it is to be hoped, therefore, that the further researches being conducted here and elsewhere will demonstrate the inter- mediate host, and so enable a policy to be outlined which may ultimately exterminate the parasite.