The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-03-15
Insect Larv@ in the Human Body.

a CURIOUS account OF the occurrence OF
the larvae of the Bot-fiy (Oestrid9) in the
cellular membrane of the human body
was presented to the Detroit meeting Of
the American Association for the Ad.
vancement of Science, by DIR. Charles H
Allen, of Chicago. The victim attacked
by the parasites was a boy ten years OF
age, who had spent the summer of 1871 al
Charlottesville, in Prince Edwards Isl.
and, and when there had been in the habit
of bathing in pond in a pasture where q
large number of cattle were grazing
While his body was exposed during bath.
ing, the species of Bot-fly which infest
cattle is supposed to have deposited heI
eggs beneath the skin.
In March, 1879, DIR. Allen was called to
attend the boy, who had grown feeble and
thin, and was suffering from restless
nights, occasioned by sensations Of
pricking, crawling and biting" which
had been intensified during the previous
ten days. On examination of the part;
thus affected, yellowish line was OBJ.
served, extending from the left to the
right side of the front body, while less
distinct line extended up the right
front chest to the right sub-maxillary
gland, over which the cellular tissue was
pulled out. Above and behind the right
ear was a swelling the size of two peas
laid side by side. The boy affirmed that the
itching sensations had followed the exact
course defined by the lines, and terminal.
ing in the swelling. On opening the little
tumor, light yellow serum flowed from
the wound, and by pressure a larva was
forced out. Two days later q second
Inrv xrvoc tab fx<. cs~~ 1Av
which had developed ct point directly
over the spine, and an inch or two below
the shoulder blades.
A day or two after, third tumor,
marking its presence by irritating sensa-
tions, was found on the top of the head.
The hair was cut over it, but, the incis-
ion being delayed, the swelling was
found on the following day to have
moved an inch. Larva number three was
then removed from it. Some days further
on, the boy suffered unusually severe ir-
ritation in the left wrist. where fourth
swelling was visible. The incisiOn was
postponed until the next dav, for the pur-
pose Of continued observation, when, at
an early hour in the morning, to relieve
the misery OF the child, the lancet was
brought into requisition. The swelling
was now gone from the wrist, but dis
cOlored spot about the left elbow betrayed
the Whereabouts of the larv@, which was
thus dragged forth to the light.
Two Of the larvae were sent to DIR.
Hagen, of Harvard University, who de-
clared them to agree with the figures and
descriptions given by DR.. Brauer, of Vi-
emma. OF the first larval state of Euro
pean species Of the Bot-fy named Hvpo-
deTma Diana. The other two larv@ were
sent to DR.. Brauer, Of Vienna, who con.
firmed the opinion of DR.. Hagen that they
belonged to the species Hypodernsa Diana,
and were in the first stageof larval life.
In answer to an inquiry of prominent
physician in Prince Edwards Island, it
was ascertained that two cases of patients
suffering from the attack of the Bot-fiy
had been some years ago reported in the
island, but neither Of them had been OBJ
served by medical men. In Tropical
America instances of q species of Bot-fiy
laying it's eggs under the skin of man
have been frequently noted.
A question Of peculiar interest attach
ing TO the case observed in Chicago re-
lates to the power of motion possessed by
the larve Of Osstrid0. OF the three
groups the sassricxlos, and casiculos,
and the ssb-essti6ul0 Into which the
Osstr6dN are divided, the larve of the first
two are known to movc In the early stages
Of their existence; hut entomologisb
have heretofoFe asserted that the larv@ of
The third group, to which the H5podn.sd
Dtona oolongs, have mot the power Of To-
connection The circumstances exhibited
In the cass under discussion show with