Linn. Trans, 1859; Eberth, in Sieb., and Köll. Zeitsehr., 1860; Mayer, ibid, 1858-60; Siebold, in Wiegm. Archiv., 1815. Wilson, E., in The Veterinary Record and Transactions, 1816.
Larvæ.— The synonyms above given all originally referred to the embryonic condition; but the embryos have also been described as nematoid hæmatozoa, micro-filariæ, hæmatochyloas helminths, (Corre.) worms of Guadeloupe, (Crevaux,) worms of Brazil, (Wüchever,) probably embryos of Stronglidæ, (Leuckart,) anguillula-like microscopic nematodes (Seusino.)
Int. Host—Dr. Lancroft originally suggested and Dr. Manson actually discovered that the hæmatazoal micro-filariæ were passively transferred to the stomach of mosquitoes. Dr. Manson has described the transformations undergone by the larvæ within these insects.
Experiments.—Dr. Manson induced an infected Chinese to sleep in a mosquito-house, and thus procured on the following morning a number of mosquitoes that had gorged themselves with blood containing human filariæ. A relatively far greater proportion of hæmatozoa existed in a drop of the insucked blood taken from the mosquito than in a drop taken from the Chinese in a direct manner. The construction of the proboscis of the female mosquito seems to be especially adapted tor drawing the worms out of the capillary blood vessels.
Remarks.—There is every reason to believe that the microscopic hæmatozoa of man are capable of producing a variety of diseases, some of which are endemic. In this category must be placed certain forms of hæmaturia, chyluria, vatix, elephantiasis, and other lymphoid affections, and likewise the African cutaneous disorder termed craw-craw. The whole of them have been characterised as constituting varieties of one disorder which Dr. Bourel-Roncière terms Wücherer's helminthiasis. The adult worm was first discovered by Bancroft and first described by myself. It was afterwards found and described by Lewis, and subsequently our "finds" were verified by Dr. Aranja and by Dr. F. dos Santos. The larvae were first discovered by Wücherer, whose observations were afterwards verified and extended by Salisbury, by myself, and especially by Lewis. Free microscopic nematoids very closely resembling these larvæ have been found in the potable waters of Rio (aqua da Carioca) by Dr. Magalbaes. Their genetic relation with F. Baxcrofti, however, is very doubtful.
Lit.—Wücherer, in Gaz. Med. da Bahia, Dec., 1868, and Sept.,
1869, and in Hallise's Zeitschrift, 1869, and in Arch. de Méd. Nawale, 1870; Salisbury, in Days Amer. Journ., 1868; Cobbald, in Brit. Med. Journ. July, 1872, and in Lectures on Holminth., 1872; in B.M.J., June, 1876; in the Lancet for July and Oct., 1877; in Reports of the Proceedings of the Linnean Soc.; of the Pathological Soc.; of the Medical Society of London; in the
Lancet for March; in Nature of the same month, and in the
Popular Science Review for April, 1878; Leuckart, Die Mensch. Par. H., 1876; Corré, Rev. des Sci. Nat., Sept., 1872; Crevaux, De Phématuric chyteuse, &e., Paris, 1872; Silva-Lima (with Crevaux,) Mom. subre a hematuria chylosa on gordurosa, (Bahia,
