DEP/DUA/1/42/12 (Normalised version)

Binny Craw

(1787-1788)

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N^o12. Binny Craw. at 21.

Respecting affection of this patient no room for doubt.

No hesitation in asserting that all symptoms to which is subjected even headache & affection of vision as well as pain of stomach & bowels, arise from those worms which discharged.

And from even slightest inspection no doubt that these joints of Taenia.

Each joint in one point of view to be considered as complete animal.

For no doubt that each has mouth & viscera peculiar to itself.

That each possesses proper tenaculum by which can fix itself either to intestines or to any other soft substance to which applied.

Yet as exists in alimentary canal of living animal a great number of joints taken together constitute whole.

In so much that often extends to length of several yards.

And has been alleged that to whole there is one common head.

This at least positively asserted by Tyson, Andry, Tulp etc.

But on other hand denied by Linnaeus after careful examination.

But whether common head or not little doubt that from each separate joint, new animal may be formed.

Hence when consider number of animals here collected & tenaculum which each possess, can readily understand difficulty of removal.

For can be no doubt that of all intestinal worms commonly occurring these expelled with greatest difficulty.

Among Taenia however considerable variety occurs.

In so much that to this genus Linnaeus has referred four species.

And although some of these more common intestinal canal of other animals as dogs, cats & fishes, yet all at times in those of human species.

Of these species two in particular, long distinguished as admitting of cure with very different degrees of facility.

viz. first & third species Taenia solium & Taenia Lata.

First of these Taenia Solium from resemblance which each joint has to seed of a gourd has had name with some as Platenus of Vermis Cucurbitinum .

With others as Pallas of Taenia Cucurbitina.

And in English known by name of Gourd worm.

The second Taenia Lata has same name with Pallas as with Linnaeus is Taenia artic brevioribus of Bonnet.

And from this circumstance though broad & flat has more uniform & less indented appearance.

And hence from resemblance to slip of Tape has name of Tape worm.

These species Linnaeus distinguished by number & position of mouths.

First he described as Taenia occulis marginalibus solitariis.

The last as Taenia osculis lateralibus solitarius.

By these marks must own have never for my part been able to distinguish any falling under own observation

For only mouth I could ever discover in any of them small round orifice on margin.

In treatise however published in France respecting remedy of Madame Nouffer¹ are furnished with plates by which the two easily distinguished.

And judging from resemblance to these have met with examples both of Taenia lata or tape Worm & Taenia Cucurbitina or gourd worm.

In former joints much shorter than latter & of much more uniform breadth.

Judging from this test no hesitation in viewing worm of present patient as example of Taenia Solium or Cucurbitina

And this according to account of almost all observers much more difficult to remove than Taenia Lata.

In so much that some articles held forth as infallible cure for one very little influence on other.

Of the two as far as my observation goes Taenia Cucurbitina the most common.

Neither indeed in this country at least by any means so common as other intestinal worms.

In so much indeed that know [several] Physicians in this City who have never had occasion to treat single case of it.

In my own practice however have had occasion to treat upwards of dozen.

A circumstance probably in part consequence of my having succeeded with first patient had occasion to treat a woman subjected to the disease for thirty years.

Of her affection & of treatment to which yielded will find a particular account in volume of medical cases published some years ago².

Some of other cases have [resisted] use of all remedies I could think of or at least that patients would take

For after medicine operating [illegible] has failed, often not easy to persuade patient to farther attempts to cure.

And this acknowledge has been case with some instances of Taenia which have had under care.

But in greater part expulsion has at length taken place not only of large fragments but of complete worm.

Of this have in general certain proof by discharge of filum or thread in which the worm terminates.

And which always last part to come away.

From this may by way observe that it appears in some cases more than one chain of Taenia.

And that hence name of Solitary worm, not unfrequently applied to this animal is ill founded

This then result of own observations & experience with regard to Prognosis.

If to judge from genus, still more from species of Taenia, should be doubtful of cure.

But judging from former experience hope may be able to accomplish it.

Particularly if patient by continuing regular attendance allows opportunity of trying [more] active medicine.

For must observe that have not always succeeded by same remedy.

In one had complete success from first use of Fern powder.

In another after what kept in shop had failed, by powder formed from fresh root complete cure.

In third, after Fern powder fair trial without success, cured by Stan [illegible].

But of practice in this case reserve observations till afterwards

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Explanatory notes:

1) Joseph-Marie-François de Lassone, Traitement contre le ténia ou ver solitaire, pratique, à Morat en Suisse [by Mme Nouffer], examiné & éprouvé à Paris (1775). Translation by Samuel Foart Simmons is titled An Account of the tenia, and method of treating it (1778).

2) Andrew Duncan, Medical cases, selected from the records of the Public Dispensary at Edinburgh : with remarks and observations : being the substance of case-lectures, delivered during the years 1776-7 (1778).