On a haematozoon in human blood : its relation to chyluria and other diseases / by T.R. Lewis.
- Timothy Richards Lewis
- Date:
- 1874
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: On a haematozoon in human blood : its relation to chyluria and other diseases / by T.R. Lewis. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![During tlie first few Lours after removal from the body, the Filaria is in constant motion, coiling and uncoiling itself unceas- ingly, lashing the blood corpuscles about in all directions, and insinuatinof itself between them. It is not at rest for a single moment, and yet on the slide it appears to make but little pro- gress, as it may frequently be watched for an hour in the same field without once giving occasion to shift the stage of the microscope. No sooner has it insinuated its “ head” amongst a group of corpuscles than it is retracted, and j)robahly the next in- stant the “tail” will be darted forth and retracted in a similar way. One moment it may appear to possess a long “ tail”—a fourth or more of its entire length, which follows it through the fluid like a strihg, whereas the very next moment not a trace of the “ tail” can be seen even with the highest powers. The same phenomena can be observed to take place at the thicker, cephalic end, but with more difficulty. As usually seen, this ]i)resents a blunt or slightly tapering termination, but every now and then a fine point like a fang appears as if darted straight forward out of its substance; the next instant the creature may jerk its “head” on one side and the “fang” becomes bent ami drawn after it like a ribbon (Fig. I, }>age 15). As seen with a objective, these Hajinatozoa can scarcely be said to present a granular aspect. When only recently with- drawn from the body, they look smooth and almost translucent; the larger specimens, however, frequently present an aggrega- tion of granules towards the junction of the middle Avith the lower half, as may be seen represented in a few of the specimens delineated (Fig. I). Occasionally also a bright clear spot is observed at the thicker extremity extremely suggestive of an oral aperture; this likewise is represented in some of the figures in the woodcuts. They will continue thus active under a covering glass, her-](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28709470_0027.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
