The Port Gibson reveille., 1904-10-06
SECRET OR OK ENT PEARL.
DISCOVERED TO Dc MERELY sEP.
ULcHREs or DEAD PARASITES.

~ W NAtlNG btNgFo- oIUoa y
Baby Tape Worms.
For more than. 2 900 years the Gul
OF Manaar. on the northwest coast o
Ceylon, has been noted as the chic
source OF Orient pearls, which ar
found in the bodies OF pearl oyster
(Margaritifera vulgaris), more trul.
described, however, as pearl fnussels
The mollusks are fshed up by ma
tive divers, though recourse will prob
ably be made to dredging IN the fu
ture. The alarming decline in thi
important fishery, the proceeds o
which. amounting to hundreds o
thousands or rupees annually, have
r0ng been an important asset in th'
revenue Of the Ceylon government
recently resulted In Prof. Herdman o.
Liverpool being sent out to ascertain
the cause, and, IL possible, to sugges
a remedy.
The first volume OF his report ilai
sust appeared, and the beneficial re
suit OF his valuable suggestions d
already being felt. Mr.. James Hor
nell, q well known naturalist, has
been associated with Prof. Herdmau
In the matter, and Is continuing the
work under the auspices Of the Colo
NAL Government. The most interest
ing outcome OF the whole thing II
the fascinating story which these ex-
perts tell US about the mode OF origin
OF oysters tears" Mr.. Hornell has
just ascertained the facts which make
the story complete.
For nearly half a century It mas
been known that river pearls, which
once were the object OF importank
British fisheries, are caused by the
irritation set up by parasitic worms,
and forty years ago Kelaart proved
that this is also true OF the marine
pearls Of Ceylon. But 1t mas been re-
served for Herdman and Hornell to
work out In detail the story OF the
parasite infesting the pearl oyster.
adding one more romance to the fairy
tale book of modern science.
Living in Indian seas Is a voracious
stingray (Trygon), the intestines Of
which AFFORD food and lodging to a pel
culiar little tape worm (Teirarhyn.
chus). This unwelcome guest holds
on for dear life to the lining of the
intestine by means OF two suckers
and FOUR long hooked tubes, project
Ing from its head. AS In tape worms
generally, the hind end is made up
of a series Of fiat joints, within which
innumerable eggs are developed. The
ripe joints pass out OF the body Of
the fish, and from the eggs minute
free7Swimming embryos hatch out.
Some Of thsse pass between the
shells OF pearl oysters, burTow into
the bodies Of the unfortunate inmates,
and there develop heads. But many
other things must happen IL they are
to get the chance of growing into
adult worms. One Of the hereditary
foes Of pearl oysters is the rough.
skinned trigger fish (balistes), which
feeds on the sluggish bivalVes, easily |
crushing their hard shells with its |
powerful chisel-ended teeth. II one
Of these fishes happens to devour an
infested oyster the little parasites
bore through the walls Of its stom-
ach and .imbed themselves in its flesh,
making it ''measily." But the para
site has yet to reach the interior Of a
5tingray before it can become adult,
and the transfer Is often effected, for
the trigger fish Is a favorite item in
he bill Of fare OF the stranger ray.
But what has all this to do with
pearls? Here Is the answer. Many
'f the juvenile tape worms that infest
he oyster die, and then become .
source Of irritation. To allay the tick
ing, layer after layer Of pearly sub
tance is formed around them, and in
lue course we have pearls. Long-in-
ested oysters, Of course, yield the
lnest. The economic bearing Of these
acts Is clear. Stingrays and trigger
lshes alike must be carefully pre-
erved," otherwise the tape worm
Vill become extinct, and then no
earls, or, at least, none Of the best
ort. Some varieties are very possi-
ly caused by parasites of other
inds. And small. inferior pearls may
e formed round sand grains or mi
ute, hard particles due to inflam-
latory disease. In ignorance OF the !
lets related, II was proposed not :
,ng ago to wage war a l'outrance
gainst the trigger fishes because they
evour pearl oysters. II the step had :
cen taken the government pocket !,
ould have been sorely depleted. So, .
ter all, natural History has it's uses r
II practical men," and II is a pity :
lat our government does not gen. \
-ously endow scientific research In 4
lis important subject. 4
The secret Of the Orient pearl, as =
Nv revealed, WIFI suggest some Gu
Gus reflections to society beauties, e,
r. as we have seen, some OF their I,
ized adornmeDts are no other than q
e gorgeous sepnlches Of premature n
deceased parasites. the tombs OF a
by tape worms. II Is really enough cl
make Cleopatra turn in her grave, al
r she swallowed a dissolved pearl. K
ad tape worm and all. Antony j,
,uld surely have shuddered had he Ii
own the facts as we now know &C
EN-.