On the relation of the parasitic protozoa to each other and to human disease / by E.J. McWeeney.

  • McWeeney, Edmond Joseph, 1864-
Date:
1905
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: On the relation of the parasitic protozoa to each other and to human disease / by E.J. McWeeney. 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.

    28/32 (page 26)
    evidence to show that Leishman’s body is in any circum- stances a blood parasite. The idea that Syphilis may be one of these Protozoal diseases is an exceedingly fascinating one ; and I think that there is some ground to hope that in these Leishman’s bodies we have a clue to that mysterious infection.* Some years ago, a medical man who had practised in Persia and Arabia was invalided home in consequence of a severe attack of Oriental Sore. He came to England, and whilst still suffering from the Sore, he developed what was believed to be tubercular disease of one testicle. The testicle was excised, with the idea of preventing general tuberculosis. The disease appeared, however, in the other testicle, which was also excised. I saw the patient about that time, and the idea that presented itself to my mind was that the Oriental Sore was a sort of Chancre, the point of entrance of a poison which became diffused, and afterwards produced secondary or tertiary effects, one of which was a specific infection of the testicle. Whether the idea is a correct one or not, I cannot pretend to say. It is, at all events, one that suggests a fresh field for observation. Dr. Copeman : I am obliged to you for calling upon me, for the reason that it gives me the opportunity of adding my thanks to those of Sir Patrick Manson for this admirable and interesting address ; but I think it will be generally admitted that it is impossible for anyone who has not done original work on the subject of Protozoa to adequately discuss the Paper. It is, however, as far as I am able to judge of it, a most interesting and most judicial Paper. It sets out, in a delightful way, the work of other observers, and more particularly of Schaudinn. It affords those who have been unable either to work at the subject or to see the original Papers an opportunity of learning what has been done on the subject, and perhaps, in course of time, after carefully reading through the Paper again, of criticising to some extent the points brought forward. Professor McWeeney states that the Paper contains no original research of his own ; but, at any rate, it contains several most interesting suggestions which I take to be lu's own. There was one that particularly appealed to me because for some years in my leisure time I have worked * [See footnote on p. 103. Scbaudiun’s discovery of Spiiwhastso in Sj^diilis was not made at the time when Sir P. Manson used these remai-kable words.]