The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-11-06
TAENIA SAGINATA DOESN'T LIVE UP
TO ITS NAME

The common tapeworm in this country Is the
beef tapeworm Taenia saginata. This name
means band or tap that fattens-presumably
at the hosts expense. Evidently the popular
mythical notion that tapeworm consumes
lot OF nourishment and that any one eats a
great deal therefore probably supports such
parasite, was conceived by the ancients. But
there Is no truth in it, In the first place. the
individual who has a tapeworm usually has no
symptoms. no disturbance of health, or If there
Is any disturbance produced by the unbidden
guest 1t Is seldom serious. In the next place.
We actually find that most persons who harbor
tapeworm are very we'll nourished. IN fact over
nourished, and they have no more appetite for
or capacity for food than have persons who are
So be sensible and look the tapeworm situa-
ton straight In the eye and don't take the
quaek hokum too seriously.
The beef tapeWorm occurs only in cattle and
man; the adult worm in the intestine or man:
the larva embedded in beef and called Cysticer-
cus-the beef carcass so infested Is called
"measly."
Man becomes infested by eating raw or un-
derdone beef. The Cysticerci measles are
most frequently found in the beef heart, dia-
phragm and jaw muscles. Cattle become in
tested by ingestings the eggs of the tapeworm
passed in human feces, which contamnate the
feed or water of CATTLE
This parasite reaches lengAh Of 20 to 80
feet. and consists of long chains of fiat broad
segments resembling pumpkin seeds. The head
Is the smallest segment hard to distinguish
except under magnifying glass. The segments
gradually increas in size toward the tail end
until they become as large as the last joint of
finger.
Another tapeworm less common but more
likely to disturb the health of the host. is the
pork tapeworm, Taenia solium, which means
the solitary tapeworm, though sometimes moro
than one Is present. 1t grows to from six to
twelve feet in length. The head, smaller than
the head of a pin, has hooks with which II
clings to the mucous membrane, SO that 1t is
hard to dislodge this parasite. The segments
are smaller than those of the beef tapeworm
The adult tapeworm lives in the intestine of
man; the larva in the flesh of the hog the
measles in the pork being called bladder
worms" or Cysticercus ceulosae.
A third kind of tapewOrm the fish tapeworm
Dibothriocephalns latus, the largest of all hu-
man tapeworms, was formerly almost unknown
in this country, but has been encountered with
increasing frequency in recent years. partcu-
larry among immigrants from the Baltic coun-
tries who have fondness for certain raw fish
and Michigan and other northern states or
provinces have been found infested Dogs or
cats that feed on the fish may harbor the fish
tapeworm and infect man.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Another Old Fossil Betrays His Incompetence
have tried to find out what doctor i'm this
city uses the diathermy method of removing
tonsils asked our family doctor for the in
formation and he pooh pO0hed the idea and. I.
II. d.
Answer-Any physician who pooh-poohs the
use of electro-surgery merely betrays his ignor-
ance and incompetence.
Hard on the Bugs
From considerable experience we have found
that cakes of naphthalenc dissOlS ID In the kerr
osene or gasoline used against bedbugs will be
more effective than the kerosene or gasoline
vent has all evaporated, and the odor Is not
unpleasant &C. H. H.
Answer-Thank you. Naphthalene is CON-
monty used against moths-the familiar moth
balls.
Sodium Salicylate
Is thre any harm in taking q FIVE grain tab.
let OF sodium, salicylate for headache? &C. e.
Answer-Not IL II Is only an occasional rem
edy Nor is the organic salicylic compound
acetyl-salcyiic acid ester, more familiar to the
laity under the name of aspirin" harmful in
similar dose for occasional emergency use. But
any such coaltar derivative used as a pain-kilI-
er, q sens-deadener or a soother of anxiety or
other disturbed feelings. IL injurious IL fire.
quently resorted to- 1t is q vicious practice US.
shoppers nerves"
lcoDyriaht 1sss. John =. Ollie Co.,