Leucocytozoon toddi and Haemoproteus tinnunculi (Protozoa: Haemosporina) in the Chimango caracara (Milvago chimango) in southern Chile.

Two species of blood protozoans were identified from blood smears collected from 15 specimens of the Chimango caracara (Milvago chimango) on Isla Grande de Chiloé in southern Chile. These included Leucocytozoon toddi in 13 birds, including all 5 of the 4-6 week old nestlings examined, and 8 of the subadults or adults. One of the nestlings also had a dual infection of L. toddi and Haemoproteus tinnunculi. These are the first reports of blood parasites from M. chimango.

Descriptions of two new species of Eimeria (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) and of Eimeria chinchillae-like oocysts from the plains vizcacha Lagostomus maximus (Desmarest, 1817) (Rodentia: Chinchillidae) from Argentina.

Of 163 fecal samples collected between March 1997 and February 1999 from the plains vizcacha, Lagostomus maximus (Rodentia: Chinchillidae), 19 (12%) were found to be positive for coccidia. All species are from the genus Eimeria and 2 are described here as new. The third species is consistent with the description of Eimeria chinchillae De Vos and Van der Westhuizen, 1968. Sporulated oocysts of Eimeria lagostomi n. sp. are ellipsoidal to subspheroidal, 35.7 x 30.9 (26-36 x 30-41), with a length:width (L/W) ratio of 1.2 (1.0-1.3), without a micropyle (M) or polar granule (PG), but with an oocyst residuum (OR) comprised of a round, compact mass of many small granules. The sporocysts are lemon-shaped, 14.2 x 10.2 (9-11 x 11-16), with an L/W ratio of 1.4 (1.2-1.7) and have a Stieda body (SB) and sporocyst residuum (SR). Eimeria vizcacho n. sp. has sporulated oocysts that are subspheroidal, 26.4 x 23.4 (21-27 x 23-31), with an L/W ratio of 1.1 (1.1-1.2), lack an M and OR, but have 1-2 PGs. Sporocysts are elongate-ellipsoidal, 14.3-9.0 (8-10 x 13-15), with an L/W ratio of 1.6 (1.4-1.8), lack an SB, but have 2 SR; the first a small mass of granules lying between the sporozoites in the middle or at 1 end, and the second also of many small granules, always at the opposite end. Sporulated oocysts of the E. chinchillae-like organism are ellipsoidal to subspheroidal, 20.7 x 17.5 (15-22 x 17-24) with an L/W ratio of 1.2 (1.0-1.3), lack an M and OR, but have 0-3 PGs. Sporocysts are ellipsoidal, 10.7-6.9 (6-8 x 8-13) with an L/W ratio of 1.55 (1.3-1.8) and have an SB and SR.

How to get well in Tzintzuntzan.

Latin American humoral pathology, the so-called 'hot-cold syndrome' has been extensively described during the past 50 years. Most attention has been directed to the characteristics of the 'hot-cold' classification, the basis for ascription of humoral quality, the degree of individual variation in assigning qualities and above all, to etiology. Almost no systematic attention has been given to humoral therapies. This paper describes and classifies the wide variety of therapies characterizing the traditional humoral medicine of Tzintzuntzan, Michoacán, Mexico. The names of these therapies, and those of the illnesses for which they are prescribed, point directly to Spanish and Mexican medical texts and home-care recetarios of the colonial period, publications reflecting classical Graeco-Roman medicine. The presence of significant numbers of Spaniards and Spanish-speaking residents in Tzintzuntzan for three centuries following the Conquest provides an explanation as to how classical humoral pathology could become rooted in a Mexican village.

How to stay well in Tzintzuntzan.

In this paper the basic principles of humoral pathology in Tzintzuntzan, Michoacán, Mexico are outlined, and related to the strategies people follow to avoid illness. It is suggested that most Latin American accounts of humoral pathology are deficient in their failure to give due weight to thermal temperature, as well as to the metaphoric qualities embodied in the 'hot-cold dichotomy'. Emphasizing preventive rather than therapeutic measures highlights a basic, usually overlooked, characteristic of humoral pathology: whereas the well-known 'principle of opposites' explains therapies, a diametrically-opposed 'principle of the avoidance of opposites' explains most behavior when people are well. Although scientific medicine is now first choice for villagers for therapy, explanation of illness continues to be based on humoral principles. Since people believe humoral principles account for what has happened to them, and since they believe that humoral precepts in prevention give them a high degree of control over their health, it is likely that humoral pathology--at least as a belief system--will flourish for a long time to come.