Abstract
Ascaris eggs from canine, porcine and human sources are noted for their resistance to many chemicals. Cram 1 in a summary of various workers'experiments shows that acids, alkalies and alcohols as well as many bactericidal agents do not prevent normal development of ascaris eggs. Of the active substances reported by Cram are carbolic acid which in 5% solution kills the pig ascarid egg in 10 hours, and cresol which in 3% solution kills them in 5 hours. The most active substance is probably “hyperactive” iodine which has been shown by Chandler 2 to kill ascarid eggs within 10 minutes.
Hexylresorcinol, a substance related to phenol, has been shown by Lamson, Brown, Ward, Robbins 3 , 4 to be a very effective anthelmintic against both the dog and human ascarid. The purpose of this paper is to bring attention to the great activity of hexylresorcinol upon ascaris eggs (Ascaris suum).
Method of testing drug action upon eggs. Eggs were obtained by dissecting out the anterior 2 inches of adult ascaris uteri which were cut into short sections, placed in water and well shaken, to prevent large adherent egg masses. The hookworm eggs were obtained by macerating dog stools in saturated saline and looping off the upper layer containing the eggs which were washed in tap water. In both cases the eggs were placed in the solution to be tested and at intervals a sample was removed and the eggs washed several times, placed in flasks of tap water at room temperature, and examined from time to time to note their death or development to the embryonated stage. Controls in tap water were run with each experiment.
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