The discovery of helminth life cycles

The origin of worms, which were occasionally excreted by some individuals, has left humans wondering for centuries. The story of the gradual discovery of the life cycles of the parasitic helminths is a fascinating one, peppered with misconceptions, misguided by dogmas of the church and enlightened by brave men, who did not recant when they were attacked by the opinion leaders of their time. This article will try to pinpoint some of the key discoveries which turned out to be milestones for the elucidation of the secret life of helminths.