CHAPTER XL 



Internal Parasites. 



Fowls are often seriously infested with internal parasites. 

 The most important of these are various worms living in the 

 alimentary canal. In p()])ular usage these are spoken of simi)ly 

 as "worms." \'arious other internal parasites as the gape 

 worm, the air sac mite, etc.. are described in other sections of 

 this book. Tlie present discussion will be confined to intes- 

 tinal worms. 



Regarding these Robinson says : "Worms in small quantities 

 inhal)it the digestive organs of all fowls and animals without 

 causing them serious inconvenience. It is even maintained by 

 some authorities tliat in limited numbers these parasites are 

 beneficial, though in just what way they are beneficial I have 

 never seen stated, and it seems more reasonable, in the present 

 state of knowledge of the subject, to claim no more than that 

 when not too numerous they do no perceptible harm. Worms 

 are contagious in that they are transmitted from fowl to.fowd, 

 probably always indirectly by being deposited on the ground by 

 one fowl and taken from it by another ; but if it is true as stated 

 that worms in small numbers are always present, contagion is 

 not re(|uired to account for their increase to troublesome num- 

 bers in many nicnibers of a Hock simultaneously. The more 

 reasonable assumption in the ])rcmises is that all these fowls 

 alike were in a condition favorable to an excessive development 

 of the parasites. This is a phase of the question on which the 

 literature of the subject has done nothing — yet it seems to be 

 tlie all-imj)ortant point to determine." 



Diacjnosis of IVonns in General. — Accurate diagnosis of 

 worms in the intestines can be made only by finding the worms 

 in the droppings of the fowls. Fowls affected witli worms to 

 any great extent frc(|ucntly show the general symptoms of dull- 

 ness and depression. I'.irds that are suspected of being aft'ected 

 with worms should be shut up in a cooj) and given a do.se of 



