Observations on Filaria sanguinis hominis in south Formosa / by W. Wykeham Myers.

  • Myers, William Wykeham.
Date:
[1880?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on Filaria sanguinis hominis in south Formosa / by W. Wykeham Myers. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    IN SOUTH FORMOSA. - ON taking charge of the native hospital at this port (Takow) in August 1879, I imme- diately began to carry out the request of my friend Dr. P. Manson, that I should examine any cases of Filaria sanguinis hominis that might come under my notice, with a view of inves- tigating and, if possible, confirming the discoveries and observations made by that gentleman. My object, then, was as follows:— 1°. To observe the proportion of filaria-infected patients in relation to the whole number of admissions to the hospital, further noting the external manifestations present, e.g., elephantiasis, lymph scrotum, etc. 2°. To note the periods of appearance and disappearance of the embryos from the blood of infected persons, with a view of corroborating or disproving Dr. P. Manson’s recent discoveries as to the periodicity displayed by the parasites in their appearance. 30. To account, if possible, for the disappearance of the embryos at certain hours, discovering, if feasible, whether this was final as regarded the swarm, or whether they lay dormant and adherent during certain periods in the lungs or other organs of the body. 40. To attempt by experiments on monkeys to produce conditions similar to those observed in filaria-infected men. Such were the designs with which I entered on my investigation; but I was somewhat crippled at the outset by the difficulty I met with in getting an infected subject, and for this reason I found the efforts made with a view of attaining my aims considerably restricted. I have repeatedly examined the blood of patients admitted on the general list, at various hours, both day and night, devoting particular attention to those suffering from malarial disease, but have as yet only succeeded in finding three filariated persons. One of these is the subject of the observations recorded below, and the other two declined to permit more than occasional examination. From these and other conditions noted and hereafter detailed, I am led to think that this state of blood infection is not common to nor favoured by residence in Formosa, and the following are my reasons for thinking so:— 1°. The number of patients and others I have fruitlessly examined at various hours in the day and night. 2°. The almost total absence of those diseases which Dr. P. Manson has proved to be dependent on parasitic obstruction, such as elephantiasis and lymph scrotum. Of the former I have seen but one case, and she informs me that she contracted it “years ago in Amoy,” and has been to this hospital before for treatment; I therefore assume this is one of the cases recorded by my predecessor, the late Dr. David Manson.