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Parasites of Man.

121

Adult State.—Tænia echinococcus, Von Siebold.

Ultimate Host.—Dog and wolf.

Remarks.—Parms three well marked types of hydatid growth, known to pathologists as exogenous, endogenous, and multi- locular varietics (E. multilocularis, Virchow.) The liver is the organ in most frequented, Thus, in 327 cases collected by myself, 373 by Davaine, and 983 by Neisser. giving a total of 1,683 cases, the average of liver cases was very nearly 46 per cent. Hydatids probably prove fatal in 25 per cent. of all the persons attacked. In Ireland they are the cause of one-sixth of the annual mortality.

Literature.—All standard works on helminthology. especially those of Leuckart and Davaine. The best monograph is that of Dr. Albert Neisser (Die Echinoeoccen-Krankheit; Berlin, 1877).

[To be continued.]

Scientific Names—I. Form.

By W. E. Grove, B.A.

At the first birth of modern science, the names which it employed were generally, though not universally, formed in accordance with the recognised rules of the classical languages, but later times, when ab acquaintance with the classics is no invariable preliminary or accompaniment of scientific discovery, have given birth to a number of words, which are unclassical either in their form or their origin. This may not be a matter of much regret, since science flourishes equally well, whether its terms are of legitimate or barbarous formation, but on the other hand the attempt at accuracy in this respect can scarcely do it any injury. One might justly think it unworthy of a scientific man to descend to the level of the draper who manufactures "pectus expandus" braces, or the shoemaker who invents "pannus corium" leather. In the report of an establishment for the training of Naturalists, not long ago, it was said that those students who had previously received a classical training were always the less exact in their biological work; but it is by no means certain that this result was owing to their previous study. In fact, since accuracy is to a great extent a habit, which, like other habits, can be acquired, it would seem likely that those, who were most accurate in one study, would be so in any other in which they were equally interested.

The following remarks are meant for those who feel the want of some help and guidance in the matier of scientific nomenclature: but the subject is so extensive that only a small part of it can be touched upon here. What is to be said will be divided into two parts, the first concerning the form, the second concerning the pronunciation of scientific names. It is understood, of course, that the dictionary and lexicon can be consulted, when necessary, by the investigator; this is an essential requisite, but one in which there can be little difficulty. in these days of libraries, for any one. Most of the words, however. are not in the dictionary in their complete form, but require to be looked out