Internal Parasites 139 



and to cut out the intestine. He should then open the intes- 

 tinal tract from gizzard to anus in a bowl of warm water, 

 and look for the parasites" (cf. Fig. 20). Finding the 

 worms in the alimentary canal is the only certain diagnosis 

 of the disease. 



Treatment. — The chief drugs used for tape worms in 

 fowls are : Extract of male fern, turpentine, areca nut, 

 powdered kamala, pumpkin seed, pomegranate root bark 

 and Epsom salts. The following extract from Salmon gives 

 the principal methods of treatment and the doses: "One 

 of the best methods of treating tape worms in fowls is to 

 mix in the feed a teaspoonful of powdered pomegranate root 

 bark for every 50 head of birds. In treating a few birds at 

 a time it is well to follow this medicine with a purgative 

 dose of castor oil (2 or .3 teaspoonsf ul) . According to Ziirn, 

 powdered areca nut is the best tape worm remedy for fowls, 

 but he states that turkeys are unfavorably affected by it. 

 It may be given in doses of 30 to 45 grains mixed with butter 

 and made into pills. Male fern is also a very effectual 

 remedy and may be used in the form of powder (dose 30 

 grains to 1 dram) or of liquid extract (dose 15 to 30 drops). 

 It should be given in the morning and evening, before feeding. 

 Oil of turpentine is an excellent remedy for all worms which 

 inhabit the digestive canal. It may be given in the dose of 

 1 to 3 teaspoonsful, and is best administered by forcing 

 it through a small flexible catheter that has been oiled and 

 passed through the mouth and esophagus to the crop. This 

 medicine is less severe in its effects if diluted with an equal 

 bulk of olive oil, but, if it fails to destroy the parasites when 

 so diluted, it may be given pure." 



A method of administering medicine such as turpentine 

 by depositing it directly in the crop has been proposed by 

 Gage and Opperman.^ This method can be advantageously 



1 Gage, G. E., and Opperman, C. L., "A Tapeworm Disease of 

 Fowls." Maryland Agr. Expt. Stat. Bui. 139, pp. 73-85, 1909. 



