PARASITES he dictionary says that a parasite is a living organism, either animal or plant, that lives in or on some other organism from which it derives its nourishment for a whole or part of its existence. This definition will serve as well as any, as it seems to include all the forms that might be classed as parasites. As a general thing, however, we are accustomed to think of a parasite as working more or less injury to its host, or perhaps we had better say that if it does not cause any irritation or ill effects its presence is not noted and we do not think of it at all. As a matter of fact the number of parasitic organisms that are actually detrimental to the welfare of their hosts is comparatively small while the number of forms both large and small that lead Few of the higher animals live parasitic lives. The nearest approach to a true parasite among the vertebrates is the lamprey-eel (Fig. 1) which attaches itself to the body of a fish and sucks the blood or eats the flesh. Among the Crustaceans, the group that includes the lobsters and crabs, we find many examples of parasites, the most extraordinary of which is the curious crab known as Sacculina (Fig. 2). In its early stages this creature is free-swimming and looks not unlike other young crabs. But it soon attaches itself to another crab and begins to live at the expense of its host. Then it commences to undergo remarkable changes and finally becomes a mere sac-like organ with a number of long slender root-like processes penetrating and taking nourishment from the body of the unfortunate crab-host. The worms furnish many well-known examples of parasites, whole groups of them being especially adapted to parasitic life. The tapeworms, common in many animals and often occurring in man, the roundworms of which the trichina (Fig. 3) that causes "measly" pork is a representative, are familiar examples. These and a host of others all show a very high degree of specialization fitting them for their peculiar lives in their hosts.
From among the insects may be selected interesting examples of almost all kinds and degrees of parasitism, temporary, permanent, external, internal (Figs. 4, 5, 6). Among them is found, too, that curious condition known as hyperparasitism where one animal, itself a parasite, is preyed upon by a still smaller parasite. "The larger fleas have smaller fleas Coming now to the minute, microscopic, one-celled animals, the Protozoa, we find entire groups of them that are living parasitic lives, depending wholly on one or more hosts for their existence. Many of these have a very remarkable life-history, living part of the time in one host, part in another. The malarial parasite and others that cause some of the diseases of man and domestic animals are among the most important of these. PARASITISM Among all these parasites, from the highest to the lowest the process that has fitted them for a Then, too, the parasite often gives up all its independence and becomes wholly dependent on its host or hosts not only for its food but for its dissemination from one animal to another, in order that the species may not perish with the host. But in return for all this it has gained a life of ease, free from most of the dangers that beset the more independent animals, and is thus able to devote its whole time and energy to development and the propagation of the species. We are accustomed to group the parasites that we know into two classes, as harmful or injurious and as harmless, the latter including all those kinds that do not ordinarily affect our well-being in any way. But such a classification is not always satisfactory or safe, for certain organisms that to-day or under present conditions are not harmful may, on account of a great increase in numbers or But should these parasites for some reason or other increase rapidly they might work great harm to the host. Even David Harum would limit the number of fleas on a dog. Or the animal might become weakened from some cause so that the drain on its resources made by the parasites, even though they did not increase in numbers, would materially affect it. Perhaps the most serious way in which parasites that are usually harmless may become of great importance is illustrated by their introduction into new regions or, as is more often the case, by the introduction of new hosts into the region where the parasites are found. Under normal conditions the animals of a given region are usually immune to the parasites of the same region. That But when a new animal comes into the region from some other locality the parasites may be extremely dangerous to it. There are many striking examples of this. Most of the people living in what is known as the yellow fever belt are immune to the fever. They will not develop it even under conditions that would surely mean infection for a person from outside this zone. Certain of our common diseases which we regard as of little consequence become very serious matters when introduced among a people that has never known them before. The cattle of the southern states are immune to the Texas fever, but let northern cattle be sent south or let the ticks which transmit the disease be taken north where they can get on cattle there, and the results are disastrous. Another striking example and one that is attracting world-wide attention just now is the trypanosome that is causing such devastation among the inhabitants of central Africa. With the DISEASES CAUSED BY PARASITES Some two hundred years ago, after it became known that minute animal parasites were associated with certain diseases and were the cause of them, it rapidly came to be believed that all our ills were in some way caused by such parasites, known or unknown. Further study and investigation failed to reveal the intruders in many instances and so it began to be doubted whether after all they were responsible for much that had been laid at their doors. Then after it was discovered that minute plant parasites, bacteria, were responsible for many diseases they in turn began to be accused of being the cause of most of the ills that the flesh is heir to. In later years we have come to adopt what seems to be a more reasonable view, for we can see and definitely prove that neither of these extreme views was correct but that there was much truth in each of them. To-day we recognize that certain diseases, Then there is a long list of other epidemic diseases, such as smallpox, measles and scarlet fever, the exact cause of which has not been determined. Many of these are believed to be due to micro-organisms of some kind, and if so they will almost certainly sooner or later be found. Curiously enough most of the diseases in this last class and many of those in the first are contagious, while all that are caused by animal parasites are, as far as is known, infectious but not contagious. INFECTIOUS AND CONTAGIOUS DISEASES It is important that we keep in mind this distinction. By contagious diseases are meant those that are transmitted by contact with the diseased person either directly, by touch, or indirectly by the use of the same articles, by the breath or effluvial emanations from the body or other sources. Small-pox, measles, influenza, etc., are examples of this group. By infectious diseases are meant those which are disseminated indirectly, that is, in a roundabout way by means of water or food or Just one example will show the importance of knowing whether a disease is contagious or infectious. Until a few years ago it was believed that yellow fever was highly contagious and every precaution was taken to keep the disease from spreading by keeping the infected region in strict quarantine. This often meant much hardship and suffering and always a great financial loss. We now know that it is infectious only and not contagious, and that all this quarantine was unnecessary. The whole fight in controlling an outbreak of yellow fever or in preventing such an outbreak is now directed against the mosquito, the sole agent by which the disease can be transmitted from one person to another. EFFECT OF THE PARASITE ON THE HOST We have seen how a few parasites in or on an animal do not as a rule produce any appreciable There is perhaps "more truth than poetry" in the following newspaper jingle: "Sing a song of microbes, While of course most of these microbes are to be regarded as absolutely harmless and some as very useful, many have the power to do much injury if Certain minute parasites in the blood may cause little or no inconvenience, but should they begin to multiply too rapidly some of the capillaries may be filled up and trouble thus result. Or take some of the larger forms. A few intestinal worms may cause no appreciable effect on the host, but as soon as their numbers increase serious conditions may come about simply by the presence of the great masses in the host even if they were not robbing it of its nourishment. Many instances are known where such worms have formed masses that completely clogged up the alimentary canal. Such injuries as these may be regarded as mechanical injuries. Some parasites injure the host only when they are laying their eggs or reproducing the young. These may clog up passages or some of them may be carried to some more sensitive part of the body where the damage is done. The guinea-worm of southwestern Asia and of Africa lives in the body of its host for nearly a year sometimes attaining It is known that many of the germs which cause diseases cannot get into the body unless the protecting membranes have first been injured in some way. Thus the germs that cause plague and lockjaw find their way into the system principally through abrasions of the skin. Many physicians have come to believe that the typhoid fever germ cannot get into the body from the intestine where it is taken with our food or drink unless the walls of the intestine have been injured in some way. It is well known that of the many parasites that inhabit the alimentary canal some rasp the surface and others bore through into the body cavity. This in itself may not be a serious thing, but if the mechanical injury thus caused opens the way for malignant germs, baneful results may follow. Even that popular disease appendicitis is believed to be due Parasites may cause morphological or structural changes in the tissues of their hosts. The stimulation caused by their presence may result in swellings or excresences or other abnormal growths. Interesting examples of this are to be found in the way in which pearls are formed in various mollusks. In the pearl oysters of Ceylon occur some of the best pearls. If these are carefully sectioned there may usually be found at the center the remains of certain cestode larvÆ whose presence in the oyster caused it to deposit the nacreous layers that make up the pearl. Other parasites cause similar growths in various shellfish. The great enlargements of the arms or legs or other parts of the body seen in patients affected with elephantiasis is an abnormal growth due to the presence of the parasitic filarÆ in some of the lymph-glands where they have come to rest. Finally, the parasite may exert a direct physiological effect on the host. This is evident when the parasite demands and takes a portion of the nourishment that would otherwise go to the building up of the host. Sometimes this is of little importance, but at other times it may be a matter of life or death to the infected animal. The physiological One other point in regard to the relation of the parasite to its host and this part of the subject may be dismissed. From our standpoint we look upon the presence of parasites in the body as an abnormal condition. From a biological standpoint their presence there is perfectly normal; it is a necessary part of their life. We think that they have no business there, but from the viewpoint of the parasites their whole business is to be just there. If they are not, they perish. And when we take a dose of quinine or other drug we are killing or driving from their homes millions of these little creatures who have taken up their abode with us for the time being. But they interfere with our health and comfort, so they must go. |