ABSTRACT
My researches on the ætiology of endemic goitre have led me to the conclusion that in all probability the organism which is responsible for the production of this disease is to be found in the intestinal tract. It is necessary, therefore, to give some account of the Protozoa which are so frequently present in this situation. This paper deals only with the organisms of the Amœba group, and simply gives a brief description and figures of the amœbæ found. It does not claim to be a complete account of their life-histories. While no definite statement can be made as to the pathogenicity of these amœbæ, their possible importance is obvious when it is remembered that goitre is due to an organism carried by water.
[Figs. 1-7 and 23 are drawn from freehand sketches of the living animals. The preparations were treated with iodine water. Drawings made under Leitz Ain. oil-immersion, ocular No. 4.
The remaining figures were drawn from fixed and stained preparations, under Zeiss 3 nun. apochromatic homog. oil-immersion, comp. oc. 12 (X 2000). The drawings were made by Miss Rhodes, to whose skill in so accurately depicting the appearances observed I must pay a tribute. The preparations were stained with Haidenhain’s hæmatoxylin and Delafield’s hæmatoxylin.]