Abstract
Early explorers reported widespread infection of Polynesians with elephantiasis. The causative organism is the parasitic worm Wuchereria bancrofti. This poses the problem of how the parasite reached Polynesia.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Heeres, J. E., Abel Janszoon Tasman's Journal (Muller, Amsterdam, 1898).
Locke, J. C., The First Englishmen in India (Routledge, London, 1930).
Rogers, F. M., The Quest for Eastern Christians (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 1962).
Padmanabha Menon, K. P., A History of Kerala (Cochin Government Press, Ernakulam, 1924).
Beaglehole, J. C., The Journals of Captain James Cook on his Voyages of Discovery. The Voyage of the Resolution and Discovery 1776–1780 (Cambridge University Press, 1967).
Beaglehole, J. C., The Journals of Captain James Cook on his Voyages of Discovery. The Voyage of the Resolution and Adventure 1772–1775 (Cambridge University Press, 1961).
Wilson, J., A Missionary Voyage to the Southern Pacific Ocean performed in the Years 1796, 1797, 1798 in the Ship “Duff” commanded by Captain James Wilson (Chapman, London, 1799).
Bennett, G., London Med. Gaz., 9, 434 (1831), 628 (1832).
Prout, E., Memoirs of the life of the Rev. John Williams (Snow, London, 1846).
Hoeppli, R., Parasites and Parasitic Infections in early Medicine and Science (University of Malaya, Singapore, 1959).
Wilkes, C., Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition during the Years 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, and 1842 (Lea and Blanchard, Philadelphia, 1849).
Sharp, A., Ancient Voyagers in the Pacific (Penguin Books, Harmondsworth, 1957).
Seemann, B., Viti: an Account of a Government Mission to the Vitian or Fijian Islands in the Years 1860–61 (Macmillan, Cambridge and London, 1862).
Finucane, M. I., Lancet, i, 23 (1901).
Lynch, G. W. A., Lancet, i, 21 (1905).
O'Reilly, B. C. N., Report on Mosquito-borne Diseases in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands (Gilbert and Ellice Islands, 1915).
Grant, A. M. B., Med. J. Austral., 1, 113 (1933).
Lambert, S. M., Med. J. Austral., 2, 362 (1928).
Crow, G. B., J. Amer. Med. Assoc., 55, 595 (1910).
Manson, P., Brit. Med. J., i, 1186 (1894).
Thorpe, V. G., Brit. Med. J., ii, 922 (1896).
Iyengar, M. O. T., South Pacific Commission Technical Paper, No. 148 (Noumea, 1965).
Laurence, B. R., and Pester, F. R. N., J. Helminthol., 41, 365 (1967).
Buxton, P. A., Res. Mem. Lond. School Trop. Med., 2, 1 (1928).
Manson-Bahr, P., Trop. Dis. Bull., 38, 361 (1941).
Barr, A. R., Bull. Wld. Hlth. Org., 37, 293 (1967).
Davidson, J. M., Green, R. C., Buist, A. G., and Peters, K. M., J. Polynesian Soc., 76, 223 (1967).
Green, R., J. Polynesian Soc., 75, 6 (1966).
Giglioli, G., Amer. J. Trop. Med., 28, 71 (1948).
Rozeboom, L. E., and Cabrera, B. D., Acta Med. Philippina, 3, 112 (1966).
Green, R. C., J. Polynesian Soc., 72, 235 (1963).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
LAURENCE, B. Elephantiasis and Polynesian Origins. Nature 219, 561–563 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1038/219561a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/219561a0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.