THE ELIMINATION OF THE TAPEWORM HYMENOLEPIS FRATERNA FROM MICE BY THE ADMINISTRATION OF ATABRINE

¹ From the Department of Bacteriology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York

The cestode Hymenolepis fraterna can be eliminated from infected mice by the administration of atabrine. Ten milligrams of the drug given per os for 2 successive days and somewhat smaller doses given for prolonged periods generally completely cure the infection. The less intensive but prolonged administration of the drug appears to be the procedure of choice, since animals so treated tolerate the drug considerably better and are freed ultimately of the parasite in about the same percentage of cases. Doses of the drug too small to cause elimination of all the parasites suppress for a time thereafter the egg production by the worms, this function being resumed as the effect of the administered drug wears off.