Hirudinea as Human Parasites in Palestine
Leeches are common in the fountains and pools of Palestine, particularly in the northern parts, known to us familiarly as ‘Galilee,’ and further north in the district of the Lebanon. In the later summer and autumn months they are so plentiful in places that almost every horse and mule passing throug...
Published in: | Parasitology |
---|---|
Main Author: | |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
1908
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s003118200000336x https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S003118200000336X |
id |
crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s003118200000336x |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s003118200000336x 2024-03-03T08:44:29+00:00 Hirudinea as Human Parasites in Palestine Masterman, E. W. G. 1908 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s003118200000336x https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S003118200000336X en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Parasitology volume 1, issue 2, page 182-185 ISSN 0031-1820 1469-8161 Infectious Diseases Animal Science and Zoology Parasitology journal-article 1908 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s003118200000336x 2024-02-08T08:46:45Z Leeches are common in the fountains and pools of Palestine, particularly in the northern parts, known to us familiarly as ‘Galilee,’ and further north in the district of the Lebanon. In the later summer and autumn months they are so plentiful in places that almost every horse and mule passing through these parts has a bleeding mouth. Under such conditions it is not wonderful that human beings from time to time are attacked. The domestic supplies of water are usually protected by the water-carrier's custom of straining it through a piece of fine muslin as he or she fills the pitcher. In some parts of the land the water at the source is kept free from leeches by means of fish; at Deishun, for example, a village in ‘Upper Galilee’ inhabited by Algerian settlers, the large stone tank into which the spring runs is full of a special fish— Capoëta fratercula , a kind of carp—which is there bred for the purpose and which is treasured by the inhabitants with superstitious reverence. Many of the springs in the mountains of Galilee and in the Lebanon are widely known for the multitude of leeches which lurk in their waters, but a thirsty traveller seldom has self-control enough to restrain himself from drinking, and when he does so, particularly at dusk or in the night, he is very likely to suck one in. It is stated in Allbutt and Rolleston's System of Medicine (2nd ed. Vol. II. Part II. p. 959) that the leech “remains in the stomach for a time and then begins to wander.” I have had a long experience of leeches as human parasites but have never seen nor heard of a case like this. The leech in every case I have met has attached itself to the mouth, throat, etc. in the process of swallowing, and I am convinced that once the leech reaches the stomach it is killed. I have never heard of any after symptoms from cases where to my knowledge a leech has been completely swallowed. Many patients can describe the actual moment (during deglutition) when the leech seizes on the throat. One would suppose from the great frequency of ... Article in Journal/Newspaper fratercula Cambridge University Press Leech ENVELOPE(-99.667,-99.667,-72.250,-72.250) Traveller ENVELOPE(-48.533,-48.533,61.133,61.133) The Throat ENVELOPE(-76.666,-76.666,57.050,57.050) Parasitology 1 2 182 185 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Cambridge University Press |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
topic |
Infectious Diseases Animal Science and Zoology Parasitology |
spellingShingle |
Infectious Diseases Animal Science and Zoology Parasitology Masterman, E. W. G. Hirudinea as Human Parasites in Palestine |
topic_facet |
Infectious Diseases Animal Science and Zoology Parasitology |
description |
Leeches are common in the fountains and pools of Palestine, particularly in the northern parts, known to us familiarly as ‘Galilee,’ and further north in the district of the Lebanon. In the later summer and autumn months they are so plentiful in places that almost every horse and mule passing through these parts has a bleeding mouth. Under such conditions it is not wonderful that human beings from time to time are attacked. The domestic supplies of water are usually protected by the water-carrier's custom of straining it through a piece of fine muslin as he or she fills the pitcher. In some parts of the land the water at the source is kept free from leeches by means of fish; at Deishun, for example, a village in ‘Upper Galilee’ inhabited by Algerian settlers, the large stone tank into which the spring runs is full of a special fish— Capoëta fratercula , a kind of carp—which is there bred for the purpose and which is treasured by the inhabitants with superstitious reverence. Many of the springs in the mountains of Galilee and in the Lebanon are widely known for the multitude of leeches which lurk in their waters, but a thirsty traveller seldom has self-control enough to restrain himself from drinking, and when he does so, particularly at dusk or in the night, he is very likely to suck one in. It is stated in Allbutt and Rolleston's System of Medicine (2nd ed. Vol. II. Part II. p. 959) that the leech “remains in the stomach for a time and then begins to wander.” I have had a long experience of leeches as human parasites but have never seen nor heard of a case like this. The leech in every case I have met has attached itself to the mouth, throat, etc. in the process of swallowing, and I am convinced that once the leech reaches the stomach it is killed. I have never heard of any after symptoms from cases where to my knowledge a leech has been completely swallowed. Many patients can describe the actual moment (during deglutition) when the leech seizes on the throat. One would suppose from the great frequency of ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Masterman, E. W. G. |
author_facet |
Masterman, E. W. G. |
author_sort |
Masterman, E. W. G. |
title |
Hirudinea as Human Parasites in Palestine |
title_short |
Hirudinea as Human Parasites in Palestine |
title_full |
Hirudinea as Human Parasites in Palestine |
title_fullStr |
Hirudinea as Human Parasites in Palestine |
title_full_unstemmed |
Hirudinea as Human Parasites in Palestine |
title_sort |
hirudinea as human parasites in palestine |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
1908 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s003118200000336x https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S003118200000336X |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-99.667,-99.667,-72.250,-72.250) ENVELOPE(-48.533,-48.533,61.133,61.133) ENVELOPE(-76.666,-76.666,57.050,57.050) |
geographic |
Leech Traveller The Throat |
geographic_facet |
Leech Traveller The Throat |
genre |
fratercula |
genre_facet |
fratercula |
op_source |
Parasitology volume 1, issue 2, page 182-185 ISSN 0031-1820 1469-8161 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s003118200000336x |
container_title |
Parasitology |
container_volume |
1 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
182 |
op_container_end_page |
185 |
_version_ |
1792499970764439552 |