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Lit.—Leidy, J., in Proeced. Philad. Acad. Nat. Sci. for 1850, (p. 117.)

Syn.—Nematoideum tracheale, Bristowe and Rainey.

Remarks.—Minute worms, each measuring about ⁠1/36⁠ of an inch, were found by Rainey in the trachea and larynx, (post mortem.) Their mature condition is unknown.

Lit.—Bristowe and Rainey, in the Path. Soc. Trans. for 1855.

Syn.—F. oculi, Gervais and Van Beneden; F. lacrymalis, Dubini; F. medinensis, Gmelin; Dreaunculus ocali, Diesing; D. Loa, Cobbold.

Remarks.—This worm is found beneath the conjunctiva of negroes. It is rather more than 1¼in. in length; being particularly abundant in the Gaboon region of Western Africa. It has also been seen in Brazil and other countries. When the worm voluntarily quits the eye, a natural cure of the disease is thus produced.

Lit.—Fully noticed in the standard works of Leuckart, Küchenmeister, Dayaine, Moquin-Vandon, and especially Gervais and Van Beneden. The descriptions are chiefly taken from the writings of Lestrille, Guyot, and Arrachart.

Syn.—Filaria dracunealus, Bremser; F. medinensis, Gmelin; Dracunealus, Lister; D. Persarum, Kaempfer; Furia, Modeer; Gordius, Linnæus; Vermis, Grundler.

Intermediate Host.—The Russian traveller and helminthologist Fedischenko discovered that small freshwater crustaceans, of the genus Cyclops, harbour the larvæ of the Guinea-worm. In the free embryo stage these larvæ perforate the abdominal segments, and thence proceed to coil themselves within the limbs of the crustacean bearers.

Remarks.—The Guinea-worm disease, so common in India and other Oriental countries, is undoubtedly the same disorder as the Dracontiasis of Plutarch. It corresponds also with the Israelitish endemic affection describe by Moses as due to fiery serpents. Küchenmeister's learned historical narrative leaves no room for doubt on this point. The older writers frequently confounded nematoid worms with serpents. As regards the mode of infection, there can be little doubt that the advanced larvæ of Dracunculus are swallowed with potable waters, and thus pass info the human stomach. Thence the female worms migrate to the surface of the body, in which situation they rapidly grow to maturity. The female parasite in its sexually mature state has been very fully anatomised by Professor Bastian. The embryos have likewise been carefully studied by Bastian, Busk, Carter, Fedschenko, Leuckart, Robin, Davaine, Lewis, and myself.

Lit—All standard works, especially that of Leuckart, which offers an admirable resumé of the whole subject, including an exhaustive summary of Fedscheuko's writings. Extensive literary references are given in Davaine's well-known work, and also in the Bibliography appended to my introductory treatise.