(FILARIA?) HOMINIS ORIS @ Leidy, 1850?

MERMITHIDE

1850: Filaria hominis oris Leidy, 1850f, 117; (in mouth of a child; U. S. A.); 1856b; 1904a, 40, 101 (as possible syn. of F. medinensis).—Anders, 1903, 6 ed., 1258.-Anderson, 1903, 1258.-Annett, Dutton, Elliott, 1901, 14.-Beneden, 1878a, 278.-Blanchard, 1890a, 13-14; 1895, 785.-Braun, 1883a, 182; 1895b, 227; 1903, 3 ed., 275.-Cobbold, 1879b, 207.-Dunglison, 1893a, 440.Leuckart, 1876, 617.-Lewis, 1879, 257.—Moniez, 1896, 359.-Packard,

518.-Penel, 1895, 8.-Tyson, 1903, 3 ed., 1198.-Ward, 1895, 330; 1903, 704; 1903, 212.

SPECIFIC DIAGNOSIS.-Filaria?: "Body, white, opaque, linear, thread-like; mouth round, simple; posterior extremity obtuse, furnished with a short, curved, epidermal hooklet 1-500th in. in length by 1-2000th in. in diameter at base. Length, 5 inches 7 lines; greatest breadth, 1-66th in.; breadth at mouth, 1-250th in.; at posterior extremity 1-80th in."-Leidy, 1850f, p. 117. HABITAT.-Obtained from mouth of a child.

MEDICAL SIGNIFICANCE.-At the present time this species is without any medical significance, and from the original description of the worm it is impossible to pass any positive judgment upon it from a zoological point of view. The question naturally arises, however, whether this worm was not in reality a hair worm (possibly Mermis), which accidentally gained access to the mouth, possibly through eating an apple. On several occasions worms which were found in apples have been sent to me; they were probably parasitic in some insect, which in turn was parasitic in an apple; they agree fairly well with Leidy's original short description of Filaria hominis oris, and possess the "epidermal hooklet" on the end of the tail. Such worms could easily gain access to the mouth through eating apples.

Leidy's description does not apply very well to the genus Filaria; furthermore, it would be rather strange to find a true Filaria, 5 inches long, in the mouth. While no positive opinion can be expressed unless Leidy's original specimen' can be found, I incline to the view that Filaria hominis oris was probably a Mermis. Such a worm would probably be of very slight, if of any, medical importance.

(FILARIA?) GIGAS Prout, 1902, species dubia ? Insect hairs.

1902: Filaria gigas Prout, 1902, Sept. 20, 880 (in Homo; Moyamba, Sierra Leone, West Africa); 1902, Oct. 15, 318-319; 1905, Sept. 16, 683.-Blanchard, 1905a, 538.-Looss, 1905c, 170 (possibly only a sheath).-Low, 1905b, 1329-1330 (probably insect hairs).—Manson, 1903, 546, 604.—Penel, 1905, 5, 10, 81, 125, 141, 147.

a This name is here retained although, being a specific trinominal, it has no status in nomenclature as a specific name. Since however the species is so doubtful, there is no object in giving to it another name. As here used, Filaria hominis oris simply represents the Latin for "a filaria in the mouth of man."

Edw. J. Nolan, secretary of the Academy of Sciences, Philadelphia, informs me that the original specimen can not be found in Philadelphia, and that it has probably been destroyed.

22815-No. 34-07- -4

NEMATOIDEUM TRACHEALE Cobbold, 1864.

1855: Entozoon found in the larynx Rainey, 1855, 370–372, pl. 17, fig. 1. 1864: Filaria trachealis Cobbold, 1864b, 333 (based on Rainey, 1855, 370; syn

Nematoideum tracheale, as possibly referable to Ascaris megalocephala or A. suilla); 1866a, 7; 1867a, 6; 1883w, 513.-Anders, 1903, 6 ed., 1258. — Blanchard, 1888a, 740, 741, fig. 364; 1888r, 39 ("perhaps Strongylus longevaginatus''); 1895, 755 (syn. of Strongylus apri.)-Dunglison, 1893a, 821; 1900a. 821 (or bronchialis).-Looss, 1905c, 154 (as possibly identical with Strongylus paradoxus).—Moniez, 1896, 389 (as possibly identical with Strongylus paradoxus).-Packard, 518.-Verrill, 1870, 171.—Ward, 1903, 219 (as possi

bly identical with Strongylus apri).

1864: Nematoideum tracheale Rainey & Bristowe, teste Cobbold, 1864b, 333 (as syn. of “? Filaria trachealis”); 1866a, 6; 1867a, 6. [I can not find where Rainey & Bristowe used this name. e.]

1879: Filaria (Nematoideum) trachealis of Cobbold, 1879b, 207.

J. Species to be eliminated from FILARIIDÆ.

The following species can be definitely eliminated from the family Filariida:

AGAMOMERMIS RESTIFORMIS (Leidy, 1880) Stiles, 1907.

1880: Filaria restiformis, Leidy, 1880c, June 1, 130-132, figs. 1-2 (in Homo; West Virginia); 1904a, 157-159, 278.-Blanchard, 1890a, 13, fig. 390a-b; 1895, 785.-Braun, 1883a, 184; 1895b, 227; 1903, 3. ed., 275.-Ijima, 1889b, 367.— Moniez, 1896, 359.—Penel, 1905, 8.—Stossich, 1897, 78.-Vaullegeard, 1901, 128.-Ward, 1895, 331; 1903, 704; 1903, 212.

In a later paper I will show that this species, of which I have found the type specimen, belongs to the Mermithida.

1868: Trichina cystica Salisbury, 1868, April, 376-377, figs. 29-31; in bladder of Homo (female); Cleveland, Ohio, U. S. A.-Blanchard, 1897e, 167 (syn. of Filaria sanguinis hominis).—Bourel-Roncière, 1878a, 116; 1888a, 131.-Cobbold, 1880e, 58.—Cunningham, 1873a, 835-836, fig. 2 (there is reason to suspect that this is Oxyuris vermicularis).-Fayrer, 1879b, 189.--Huber, 1896a, 604 (syn. of Filaria sanguinis hominis).—Leuckart, 1876a, 637.-Lewis, 1879c, 247-249, fig. 1 (does not believe it is F. s. hominis).-Penel, 1905, 2 ed., 11, 12.-Railliet, 1893a, 515 (syn. of Filaria bancrofti).-Ransom, 1904, 25.- da Silva Lima, 1877, Nov., 489.-Stiles, 1905, IV. 29, 682 (syn. of Oxyuris vermicularis).—Ward, 1895, 320, 321 (syn. of Filaria bancrofti); 1903, 213. 1868: Filaria cystica (Salisbury, 1868) Cobbold, 1879b, 202.-Dolley, 1894a, 993 (syn. of Filaria sanguinis hominis); 1901, 993.-Linstow, 1900c, 76.Moniez, 1896, 338.-Railliet, 1893a, 515.-Shipley, 1896, 142.-Stiles, 1905, IV. 29, 682.

1879; Filaria salisburyii Cobbold, 1879b, 188; Trichina cystica 1868, renamed. 1894: Filaria salisburyi Dolley, 1894a, 1901a, 994; for salisburyii.

1896: Trichina cystika Schneidemuehl, 1896, 306; for cystica; as syn. of Filaria sanguinis hominis.

There can be scarcely any reasonable doubt regarding the identity of this form with the common pinworm, Oxyuris (Oxyurias) vermicu laris, of man.

FILARIA NIELLYI (Blanchard, 1885) Moniez, 1889-RHABDITIS NIELLYI.

82: “Anguillula leptodera?” Nielly, 1882, 16 April, 395-405; in Homo, near Brest; 1882, Mai, 337-345, figs. 1-3.

85: Leptodera niellyi Blanchard (1885),

1-3. [Original publication not found.]

based on Nielly, 1882, 337-345, figs.

88: Rhabditis niellyi (Blanchard 1885) Blanchard (1888). [Original publication

not found.]

89: Filaria niellyi (Blanchard 1885) Moniez, 1889, 192.

FILARIA ZEBRA Mongrand, 1852, species fictitia.

352: Filaria zebra Mongrand 1852, Feb. 1, 63-64 (in vena saphena interna of a convict, Homo, at Brest).-Blanchard, 1889d, 706.-Moquin-Tandon, 1860, 388.

This spurious parasite, described by Mongrand, has been recognized y Davaine & Robin as a fibrinous clot.

HREE NEW AMERICAN CASES OF INFECTION OF MAN WITH HORSE-HAIR WORMS (SPECIES PARAGORDIUS VARIUS), WITH SUMMARY

OF ALL CASES REPORTED TO DATE.

By CH. WARDELL STILES, PH. D.,

Chief of Division of Zoology, Hygienic Laboratory, U. S. Public Health and MarineHospital Service.

(Figs. 35-55.)

There is a popular belief, extending back for centuries, that horsehair worms (Gordiida), if swallowed by man or animals, will cause very serious, even fatal, disease; but the actual cases of such infections thus far definitely recorded in medical and zoological literature are but few in number; and medical men who have reported cases do not share the belief of the laity relative to the supposed dangerous character of these worms.

In recent years I have had specimens from two such cases referred to me for identification, and have seen another specimen from an unpublished case, and this has led me to consult the original references of all reported cases, so far as the literature is accessible to me.

The worms in question belong to the Gordiacea, a group of worms classified by some authors as a family of nematodes, by others as a distinct order of the Nemathelminthes. Their general relations to the other round worms may be seen from the following key:

KEY TO THE ORDERS OF NEMATHELMINTHES.

[For forms known to occur in man in the United States, follow roman type.]

worms

1. Anterior end provided with a proboscis, armed with several rows of thorns or hooks; intestine absent; adults parasitic in intestine; very rare in man; thorn-headed ..Acanthocephala Anterior end not provided with a thorny proboscis; intestine present, complete or in part rudimentary

.2

2. Intestinal canal of adult usually complete, but in some cases (Mermithida) represented by esophagus and rudimentary intestine; papillæ on head; spicules usually present in male; one testicle present in male; vulva always independent of anus except in Cloacina; most round worm parasites of man belong here...... .Nematoda

Intestinal canal always atrophied anteriorly in adult; head without papillæ; spicules never present in male; two testicles present in male; vulva always united with posterior portion of intestine to form a cloaca; rare in man and then only as accidental parasites; horse-hair worms Gordiacea