The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1859-10-06

Insects AVID their Human Prey. THERE'S
gentleman in Schenectady, says the Star,
a resident Of Cuba, who was afflicted with
singular disease, which batf1ed the skill of
several medisal men. He finally consulted a
physician in New York, who, after much re-
search, unraveled the case. Its believed to
be unique in the annals OF medicine.
small red swelling appeared on the lower
part of the abdomen, which was the seat OF
pain and uneasiness; it gradually shifted Its
position and reached the chest. The New
York doctor suspected that there was liv-
Ing insect in the & .sh, and the gentleman one
dav scratched the swelling, when ne observ-
ed something moving In the fluid which es-
capped, and found it to be living insect, on
eighth of an inch in length; under the mi
croscope it appeared to be covered with
scale with serated edges 1t is probably the
Ahtge, an insect resembling a flea, found in
the W est Indies, which penetrates the skin
it sometimes produces fatal Ulcers.
In Africa there is a worm called the Guina
worm, which buries itself in the flesh Of
man and gives rise to symptoms similar to
those o. this gntle nan; but this is pecu lar
to Guina, and is long, slender and round,
like fiddle string; It's length varies from 6
inches to IL feet. The british soldiers sta
toned at Bombay arefrequently attacked by
il; out Of 800 men, 1879 were attacked by it.
When it introduces itself into the flesh it is
avery minute parasite, not more than l-6Oth
part Vt an :noh in length, and very slender,
and exists on low, muddy shores. This little
intruder grows immensely, and becomes the
parent Of Numerous offspring. 1t produces
itching and crawling sensation, and finally
a boil forms, and when it breaks the head Of
the animal protrudes, which is then caught
and gently extracted, care being taken not
to break it, otherwise serious and fatal eff
fects are apt to ensue. The extraction is
very tedious work. The natives cut the skin
when they are near the surface, and then ex
tract them.
Medical writer's describes no less taan a
boat twenty varieties Of parasites which =
fest the human system. Says a,recent wri e.:
sit is notorious fact that numero4s para
sites crawl over the surface, burrow beneath
the skin, nestle in our entraiis, and riot and
propagate their kind In every corner of our
frames and scarcely tissue or an organ but
is occasionally profaned by their inroads.-
Each has also its parasite or special domicile,
one specimen of stroa9le chooses the heart
for its place of abode, another inhabits the
arteries, third the kidneys. Myriads of
minute worms have been found ceiled up in
the muscles A little fuke, very much like
a miniature founder, lives stepped in gall,
in the liver. II the skin of the nose be
squeezed cheesy matter will exude, and if
examined by the microscope ten to one sew
eral animalcuies, extremely minute, but of a
cnmplica; ed structure, will be seen. They
are at present il the majority of living per
sons. 1t IS iess than one hundredth part of
al inch in Length, has head, chest, abdo-
mea, it has eisat legs and very movable
jaws.
By recent researches it has been proven
beyond doubt that smail insect is the
cause of Itch; the iasect, By skillful manage
ment, can be caught and seen under the mi
croscope. 1t seems a strange and humilia-
ting fact th25 the human body should pro-
vide food and habitation for 80 many and
such varieties Of these interior crer lures.