The animal parasites of man : a handbook for students and medical men / by Max Braun.

  • Braun, Max (Maximilian Gustav Christian Carl), 1850-1930.
Date:
1906
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The animal parasites of man : a handbook for students and medical men / by Max Braun. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    427/488 (page 403)
    COLEOPTERA. DIPTERA II. Coleopter a. The larvae of beetles, similarly to those of some other Arthropoda (myriapods and the larvae of gnats), have sometimes been observed in man as purely accidental guests. In one case or another, such accounts may have origi- nated through a decided mistake of the observer. Thus English doctors report the presence of the larvae of Blaps movtisaga in the stools of human beings, Sandberg of the larvae of Agrypnus murinus in his ten-year-old son, and Blanchard mentions the larva of a beetle that was vomited by a child. All these cases, however, do not represent actual parasitism, although there are beetles living parasitically.^ [Silvanus surinamensis, Linnaeus (the Saw-toothed Grain Beetle). Taschenberg records this beetle as having invaded some sleep- ing apartments adjoining a brewery where stores were kept, and annoying the sleepers at night by nipping them when in their beds. This beetle is common in many parts of the world amongst groceries, corn, meal, seeds, dried fruits, &c. It is about one- tenth of an inch long, much flattened and chocolate - brown in colour. The thorax has two shallow grooves and bears six minute teeth on each side. The jaws are strong, but the bite cannot be very serious.—F. V. T.] III. Diptera. (a) Aphaniptera (Fleas). Wingless, the thoracic rings not amalgamated ; antennse three-jointed ; legs very powerful ; abdomen with nine segments. The mandibles trans- formed into serrated puncturing organs, which are situated in the split sheath of the rostrum, originating from the labrum ; the maxilla are laminated and have palpi. I. Pulex irritans, L., 1758. Males 2—2-5 nim. in length, females about 4 mm. ; reddish or dark brown ; head without bristles ; thoracic and abdominal rings ‘ [Dr. Daniels has sent me a small coleopterous larva found in an abscess on a man in British Guiana.—F. V. T.J 'Cobbold, T. Sp., “ On Blaps mortisaga as a Human Parasite ” {Brit. Med. Joiirn., 1877, i., p. 420).—Sandberg, G., “ Et tilfoelde af CoBopBrlarvers Hlhold i tarmkanalen hos et menneske ” {Entom. Tidskrift., Stockh., 1890, p. 77 ; C. f. B. u. P., 1890, viii., p. 182).—Blanchard, R., “ Sur tine larve de Coleoptere vomie par un enfant an Shiegal ” {Bull. soc. entom., France, 1893, P- 156).—Brandes, G., “ Ueh. paras. Käfer” {C. f. B. P. U. /., 1896, XX., p. 297).