A Letter from Mr John Thorpe, M. A. of University College in Oxford, to Dr Hans Sloane, S. R. S. concerning Worms in the Heads of Sheep, etc.

The Medicines given, after I was call'd in, were chiefly of the Vulnerary and Digestive kinds: That which did her most service, (but it was after the Bladders were come off) was a Tincture of Myrrh and Gentian, in large and frequent Doses; and with a proper Vehicle: Under the use of this flight, but advantageous Medicine, from a very weak condition, she recover'd an Appetite, &c. and is now perfectly well. Exeter, Sept. 26. 1704 IV. A Letter from Mr John Thorpe, M. A. of University College in Oxford, to Dr Hans Sloane, S. R. S. concerning Worms in the Heads of Sheep, &c. With this you receive the delineation of a Worm, found in dissecting the Head of a Sheep, in the Cells form'd between the Laminae of the Os frontis: It is an Apode, and seems to be a species of the Bula; tho much different from the common sort breeding in putrid Flesh. It is everywhere of a fair pale colour, excepting its Tail, which ends a little obliquely in a Plane; on which are impress'd two remarkable black spots, (as in Fig. 8.) Besides two small white cornicules, its Head is arm'd with a pair of black, sharp, and crooked forcipes, which, in contracting, and extending its Body, it draws in, and puts out at pleasure: With these it is, that in creeping it takes hold of the surface of the Body, on which it moves; and draws itself forward on pretty large, protuberant, and somewhat flattish toruli, fewer in number than those on its Back, (vide Fig. 9.) which alternately swell'd and relax'd, seem instrumental to its motion, and supply the place place of Feet. It looks of a clear, Crystalline substance, and almost transparent. The Membrane, that invested the cavity of the Cells containing it, was very fat, and in most places separated from the Bone; the Blood-Vessels appear'd turgid, and inflam'd: Whereas the Membrane of the opposite Cells, which have no Communication with these, was thin, pellucid, adherent, and no ways preternaturally affected. I have given the more particular description of this Worm, and the Cells, it was found in, it not being describ'd by any Author, I have yet consulted. Mr Bobart informs me, "That some curious Gentlemen of the University, lately observ'd three Worms lodg'd in the same parts of the Head of a Sheep, but in two distinct Cells: The largest apart by its self, the other two in the Cell adjoining; one of which was considerably less than the other, agreeing in form with the forementioned, of a whitish colour in general, with the two notable spots on the flat of the posterior part, but a shadow of brownness from the back down the sides, (especially of the riper one;) roundly turgid on the back, and flat underneath; divided with several annuli, as these Creatures generally are; at the extremity of which Protuberances, serving instead of Feet, there appears a little darkish brown spot on each side or edge: as they faded and wither'd, they chang'd to a light red or phœnicious colour, and afterwards brown. (a) Monfet mentions Worms yearly breeding in the Brain of Stags, Goats and Sheep, (especially when fat,) but supposing them generally known, gives no description of them; unless from (b) Benedictus and (c) Mathiolus, (b) Lib. 21. in that they are Eulis maximis aquiles, & ejusdem cum illis promformae: Tho the Worms meant by those two Authors are not found in the Brain, but (as they both agree) sub lingua in concavo circiter vertebrae, qua cervici innecitur caput. (d) Avicenna asserting the possibility of Worms breeding in the Head, says expressly multoties nascuntur in anteriore parte. parte capititis super locum qui est in strictura narium: To which (e) Joubertus addit, ubi ovos, & caprae dicuntur perpetuo vermes habere, ut cervi in gatture. This plainly shows the distinct places of their generating in the Heads of Stags and Sheep, as well as describes the particular Cells, in which they are found in the Os Frontis of the latter. (f) Trallian relates a memorable Story from Moschion: Democrates the Athenian applying himself to the Oracle at Delphos for the Epilepsy, receiv'd the following answer; \[ \text{Μείζον ἀναγκαῖος περιέχει πολυτάτων εὐαίνων} \] \[ \text{Μυρίδος ἀγρυπνότητος, δέρας ποικιλομορφῆς μήλων} \] \[ \text{Εἰσπίλασιν πολυπληκτοῦ ἐξήντα ἀπὸ κόσμου.} \] Which Guinterius Andernacus renders thus; De grege sume caprae majores ruris alumnae Ex cerebro vermes, & ovis dato tergora circum Multiplici vermi pecoris defronte revulso. Democrates not comprehending the hidden meaning of the Oracle, referr'd it to Theognostes Democratinus; who recollecting that the Head of a Goat near the Basis of the Brain is naturally impregnated with Worms, right sagely unfolded the Mystery, advising him in pursuance to Apollo's directions to procure one or three of them (for, it seems, it must be an odd number) by provoking the animal to sneeze; and wear them about his Neck, in the Skin of a black Sheep, as an Amulet. 'Tis not to be imagined, how Worms seated at the Basis of the Brain, where Trallian places them, should be expelled by sternutories. The words of the Oracle [ἐνεύρεις ἀπὸ κόσμου] admit of a more favourable construction, and distinctly express the cavity over the Nose: from whence by a passage, that opens into the Palate and Nostrils, they may easily be discharged by sneezing. By the same passage they they may as easily insinuate themselves, when small; or rather be drawn up with the breath in the state of Eggs, and deposited in those Cells: Where animated by the Vital Heat, and nourished by preying on the Membrane, in which they are included, they may more probably occasion the Epilepsy in Sheep and Goats, (a Distemper Hippocrates observes to be frequently incident to them, (g) De Morbo Sauro, tho he ascribes it to a different cause) than cure it in Men. From hence perhaps we may be allow'd to account for those various Instances given by Medicinal Authors, of Worms ejected at the Nose by Men and Women: (b) Be-nivenius, (i) Fernelius, (k) Zacutus Lusitanus, (l) Ronseus, (m) Trincavellius, (n) Hildanus, (o) Baptista Codronchus, (p) Tulpius, (q) Verzascia, and (r) others, relate several cases of this kind; all agreeing that they were attended with extreme Pains in the Head, Mania's, Lypothymies, admir. lib. 1. &c. which immediately ceas'd at their ejection. It must be granted, (s) Regimena, (t) Gabuinus, (u) Foresius, (w) Borellus, and particularly (x) Fulvius Angelinus, who wrote an entire Discourse De Verme admirando per Nares egresso, very rationally conclude, the Worms they treated of came from the Stomach, or Lungs, not being attended with those Symptoms, nor affecting the Head; as in the cases related by the Authors we have mention'd; particularly in that remarkable Instance of Hollerius of a Worm evacuated at the Nose nulla tussi, nullum vomitus antecedente: Which by the acute pain it produced, plainly discover'd where it lay conceal'd. Whether Worms may generate in the Brain or its Teguments, I shall not determine: 'Tis sufficient (supposing it possible) possible) that there is no passage for them thence to the Nose; where they are often found, as we are assured by many credible Writers. Angelinus and Alfarinos & Cruce place them prope naso colatoria in strictura narium; both seeming to imply that Sinus more exactly describ'd by (2) Avicenna: Which is to be understood of humane Heads, not those of Brutes, but only as apply'd by Jouberius. What terrible Symptoms, as Cephalaea's, Deliriums, Epilepsies, Syncopes, Convulsions, &c. a Worm, with such sharp and piercing Weapons may raise, by continually preying and sporting on a Part so exquisitely sensible, and nearly situate to the Origin of Sensation, as the Membrane, that invests the cavity of this Sinus, may be more easily imagin'd than explain'd. Oxon. July 24, 1704. V. An Account of very large Stones voided per Urethram. In a Letter from Mr Edw. Lhwyd, Keeper of the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, to Dr Hans Sloane, S.R.S. Oxford, Sept. 22, 1704. I make bold to trouble you with a Copy of a Paper I receiv'd from Dr Bullen, a Physician in Cheshire, together with a figure of the Stones he mentions. They are much of the same size and shape; and being joyn'd together, the circumference one way is above three inches and a half, and the other three and a quarter, (See Fig. 10.) The person that voided them, took an excessive quantity of Honey during his pain; to which alone he attributes his Deliverance; how probably you can best judge.