Chinese Medical Journal

28 THE CHINESE MEDICAL JOURNAL

Experiment 2. T. saginata, test solution: 30 per cent pumpkin seed extract.* The tapeworm was put into the extract saline solution. In five minutes the scolex attached itself to the body segments. The segments of the middle part of the worm became broader and thinner with a depression at the middle of each segment. Another seven minutes later the scolex was still attached to the body segments and the immature segments of the anterior part of the worm kept on moving actively. The segments of the middle part of the worm became still thinner and broader, and the depression in the center of the segments became more marked. The segments of the posterior part of the worm became paralyzed. Another eleven minutes later, i.e. twenty-three minutes after immersion, the scolex was still attached to the body segments and the immature segments of the anterior part of the worm were still actively motile, but the segments of the middle portion of the worm became even yet thinner and broader and these together with the segments of the posterior part became paralyzed, only showing movement upon being touched.

Experiment 3. T'. saginata, test solutions: a. mixture of 30 per cent areca nut decoction plus 30 per cent pumpkin seed powder decoction in equal parts, b. pumpkin seed powder decoction 30 per cent. Ten minutes aiter the tapeworm was put into solution a the segments of the middle and posterior parts of the worm stopped moving and the scolex and the anterior part of the worm showed slight movement. Another ten minutes later the entire worm became paralyzed. The worm was then taken out of the solution and put into normal saline in which it resumed its activity in fifteen minutes.

The same worm after recovery was then put into solution b. Ten minutes later, while the scolex and the immature segments were still actively moving, the segments of the middle and posterior parts became thin and broad, with a depression at the center of each segment. Twenty minutes after the commencement of the experiment, the middle and posterior parts of the worm became paralyzed, while the scolex and the immature segments remained actively motile.

Experiment 4. T. saginata, test solutions same as in Experiment 3. Five minutes after the worm was put in solution a, the entire worm became paralyzed. The worm was then put into normal saline and it resumed activity in twenty minutes. The same worm after recovery was transferred to solution b. Twenty minutes later, the segments of the

“The extract was made from 35 gm pumpkin seed kernel. The extract consisted of two kinds, one in solid form and the other liquid form, but the effect on the tapeworm was the same. The experiment here recorded was made with a saline solution of the solid form. The extract was made by Mr. S. C. Kuoh of the Chemistry Department, Nan K’ai University, to whom the author wishes to express his thanks.