. Animal parasites and human disease. Insects as carriers of disease; Medical parasitology. 142 AMEBiE Endamceba gingivalis and Disease. — As intimated above, although the presence of amebse in the mouth has been known for man}' years, these parasites attracted httle interest until 191-i when several investigators called attention to an apparent relationship between the amebse and the presence of pus pockets between the teeth and gums, a disease known to dentists and physicians as " pyorrhea ; The ameba3 do not thrive on exposed surfaces in the mouth, but find a congenial
. Animal parasites and human disease. Insects as carriers of disease; Medical parasitology. 142 AMEBiE Endamceba gingivalis and Disease. — As intimated above, although the presence of amebse in the mouth has been known for man}' years, these parasites attracted httle interest until 191-i when several investigators called attention to an apparent relationship between the amebse and the presence of pus pockets between the teeth and gums, a disease known to dentists and physicians as " pyorrhea ; The ameba3 do not thrive on exposed surfaces in the mouth, but find a congenial environ- ment in any little secluded pockets between the teeth and gums, in crevices between close-fitting teeth, or where a bit of food forms a protected spot for them. Stowed away in such places, and invariably accompanied by bacteria and often spirochsetes, they multiply rapidl3^ That they feed largely on other organisms cannot be doubted, but that the}' prey also on the living tissue cells is practically certain. Eventually the delicate peridental membrane surrounding the roots of the teeth (Fig. 42), correspond- ing in a general way to the periosteum of bones, is eaten away and becomes ulcerated. Fig. 42. Sketch of ' f ,i r • u tooth showing peridental the catmg away of the hvmg membranes membrane, which is the of the teeth and gums is accompanied by tissue attacked by Enda- . c , • c i i i maha gingivalis and the a constant formation of pus, and a marked seat of pyorrhea, peri- proneness for the gums to bleed, often with- out provocation. The swallowing and ab- sorption of the pus and of the jooisonous waste products generated by the parasitic organisms are probably the cause of the more or less noticeable constitutional symptoms which accom- pany the disease. These may consist of feverishness, dis- ordered digestion, nervous troubles, rheumatic pains in the joints, anemia, or various combinations of these ailments. Wo have long known that unhealthy mouths were the
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectmedical, bookyear1918
