An earth-closet is a toilet in which the faeces from the human body are received in a quantity of earth. The advantages of the earth-closet system are due to the fact that dry earth is one of the best disinfectants and deodorizers, and that the compound formed by the combination of the faecal matter and the earth is valuable and easily applied as manure. In large cities the earth-closet system would hardly be practicable on account of the expense of preparing and storing large quantities of earth, but in agricultural districts the system could be employed with great advantage, except for the inconvenience. Research Earth-Closet
Ascaris lumbricoides are nematodeworms ranging from 20-45 centimetres long and are five mm in diameter in the adult form, the female being larger than the male. They cause the disease ascariasis which is caught by ingesting water or food contaminated with faeces containing Ascaris ova or from fingers contaminated with polluted soil. Research Ascaris lumbricoides
Listeria is a genus of rod-shaped aerobic motile Gram-positive bacteria. Only one species, Listeria monocytogenes, causes disease (listeriosis). It is resistant to physical and chemical treatments and can occur as a contaminant in certain foods, in faeces, etc. Research Listeria
Amebiasis is a protozoan parasitic infection caused by the ameba Entamoeba histolytica, which lives in the large intestine of humans as part of the residentflora. Humans contract the infection is acquired by ingesting food or water contaminated with faeces. It occurs most often in poor countries where the standards of public hygiene and sanitation are low. Once ingested, the incubation period varies from a few days to several months. In rare cases, the symptoms may not appear for years. Entamoeba histolytica competes with the host for food in the large intestine. It multiples by simple division. Protective cysts develop and the organism is passed out with faeces. The cysts can survive long periods before the next host acquires them. Some strains of the ameba are harmless and the people carrying them show no symptoms. Other strains invade the intestinal wall causing bleeding and mucus secretion and diarrhoea. Ulcers are formed in the intestinal wall where the ameba gain access to the bloodstream and move to the liver and/or brain. Symptoms of severe amebiasis include persistent moderate to severe diarrhoea, jaundice, abdominal discomfort and in severe cases the development of an abscess in the liver or in the brain. Research Amebiasis
Amoebic dysentery is an illness caused by the pathogen Entamoeba histolytica which is transmitted by the faecal-oral route. Cysts are excreted in the faeces of an infected individual or carrier and ingested through faecally-contaminated food, water, objects, etc. After excystation, the trophozoites penetrate the walls of the large intestines causing ulceration and frequently causing the symptoms of dysentery. Involvement of the liver and other organs may occur if the protozoan invades the blood. Research Amoebic dysentery
The anus is the sphincter muscle which regulates the lower orifice of the digestive, or alimentary, tract. This sphincter muscle keeps the anus closed, opening it during excretion to allow faeces to pass through. Research Anus
Ascariasis is an infection caused by a parasitic worm, ascarsis lumbricoides. This parasite is a pale, cylindrical, tapered roundworm that grows to between fifteen and forty centimetres in length. It lives in the small intestine of its host. The infection is common worldwide, especially in the tropics. It affects 80% to 90% of the population in poorer countries where standards of public hygiene and sanitation are low. One or several worms may be present in the infection, but symptoms generally only appear when there is multiple infestation. The eggs of the worm are carried by the wind in drier climates. In most cases, however, they are transmitted through water, food, and hands. The eggs are swallowed via the mouth of the new host and then hatch into larvae in the small intestine. The larvae travel through the wall of the intestine and are carried by the lymphatic vessels and the bloodstream to the lungs, up the trachea, and are swallowed back to the small intestine where they mature in the jejunum.
The worms reach maturity about two months after ingestion. The adult worms release eggs which are passed out through faeces to be acquired by a new host and start the cycle over. The lifespan of the worm is under 18 months, however, female worms produce up to 200,000 eggs per day. The eggs can remain viable for months or years. The condition is diagnosed by the presence of the eggs in an infected person's faeces during microscopic examination. Light infestation generally causes no symptoms or may cause slight nausea. Early symptoms of the passage through the respiratory system include coughing, wheezing, and a slight fever. Heavy infestation of the parasites compete with the host for food, leading to malnutrition and anaemia. In children, migration of the worms to the liver, gall bladder, or peritoneal cavity may cause death. Research Ascariasis
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Coprophagy
