A national sanitary question : new entozootic malady : observations on the probably introduction of this formidable disease, and on the almost inevitable increase of parasitic diseases in general, as a consequence of the proposed extensive utilization of sewage / by T. Spencer Cobbold.

  • Cobbold, T. Spencer (Thomas Spencer), 1828-1886.
Date:
1865
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A national sanitary question : new entozootic malady : observations on the probably introduction of this formidable disease, and on the almost inevitable increase of parasitic diseases in general, as a consequence of the proposed extensive utilization of sewage / by T. Spencer Cobbold. 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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    painful symptoms^ followed, in the more advanced cases, by excessive prostration and death. Minuter details respecting the peculiar features of the disease itself it is here quite unne- cessary for me to adduce, as those who desire further information on this score have already been informed where to look for it; but I cannot proceed without a passing comment on the extra- ordinary prevalence of the disease in Egypt, which may readily be realized by the fact that out of 363 'post-mortem examinations conducted by Dr. Griesinger, these parasites were found in no less than 117instances. It would, therefore, seem that nearlyone- third of the entire population suffer from this parasitic malady. But, it may bo asked, why need we trouble ourselves about a miserable parasite which afl9.icts our Egyptian brethren, and which also prevails at the southern extremity of the African continent ? There is surely no Likelihood of its introduction amongst the inhabitants of these islands ? I beg pardon. Permit me, in reply, to inform you that not only has the highly characteristic disease been already recognized in one or two persons returning from Natal and the Cape, but that I have myself also removed the fully developed sexually mature parasite from the body of an animal supposed to be very closely allied to man. I mean, of course, one of the monkeys. To Dr. John Harley, of Eiing’s College Hospital, belongs the exclusive credit of first detecting the disease in England in the human body; and his interesting memoir on this subject will be found in the recently issued forty-eighth volume of the Transactions of the Medico-Chirurgical Society. Dr. Harley was accidentally led to this discovery by a microscopic exami- nation of the mine of his patients; and by this means he suc- ceeded in demonstrating the presence of the eggs and embryos of this terrible parasite. Thus, therefore, we have distinct evi- dence that the Bilharzia has been transported hitherward fi’om Afiica; and the next proposition which naturally suggests itself to your minds, might, I imagine, be satisfactorily stated in some such way as this :—Admitting that the African ^fluke-endemic has been introduced into this country, and, that existing conditions are favourable to tho growth and develo^Jment of tho parasite, on what grounds is it to bo assumed that thp disorder is likely to become naturalized, so