Seven inches long, first cousin to the earthworm but with livelier ambitions, Ascaris lumbricoides is one of the commonest parasites found in the intestines of man. The worms, which usually plague children more than adults, enter the body in infected vegetables, may cause diarrhea, colic, convulsions. Standard anthelmintic (worm-killer) for ascarids is bitter oil of chenopodium (wormseed oil), usually given in capsule form. Last week in Science, Chemists Julius Berger and Conrado Frederico Asenjo of the University of Wisconsin stood up for a primitive worm-killer which is sweeter, cheaper, and just as powerful: fresh pineapple juice.
Pineapple juice has long been swigged...
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