478 Worms ill the Tiitcstiiial Tract. 



Anatomical Changes. At llie place of attacliment of an 

 ascaris there is foniied a small round depression, sometimes 

 covered with blood, in its neighborhood the mucosa shows ca- 

 tarrhal changes. In the presence of numerous worms the small 

 intestine shows inflannnatory changes along its whole extent, 

 and deeper ulcerations may be present; perforation of the in- 

 testine occurs occasionally, and this is then followed l)y general 

 peritonitis or the formation of an ichorous-purulent abscess 

 between the folds of the mesentery, or even fatal hemorrhage 

 (Csokor). In the cases of perforation seen in horses, the former 

 always occurred at the place of attachment of the mesentery 

 (Zorn, Kitt, AVinz, Budnowski, Franke), because at other points 

 the serosa forms an impediment for the worms (Francke). There 

 is, occasionally, stenosis or obstruction of the intestinal lumen 

 by balls of worms (preferably in dogs and horses), and these 

 may cause rupture of the intestine. Exceptionally roundworms 

 may get into the stomach, the pancreatic or bile duct ; they here 

 produce ol)struction. 



Roundworms produce a peculiarly disagreeable smell in 

 the meat of calves and lambs (Morot, Laubion, Mathis, J. Kunos, 

 Vallisneri). 



The number of roundworms is sometimes very high. A report from Brussels 

 gave 1800 as the number of Asearis megaloeephala in a horse. Delamothe found 

 1215 which weighed six and a half pounds. Descamps found a mass of Ascaris 

 vituli equal to fifteen liters (cpiarts). Krabbe 80 individuals of Ascaris mystax; 

 Albrecht 250 individuals of Ascaris marginata in a dog six weeks old. 



Symptoms. Animals exhibit morbid manifestations only in 

 the presence of numerous roundworms, the symptoms, however, 

 are not always proportionate to the number of worms. Most 

 marked are the general nutritive disturbances and these are 

 more intense, the younger the animals. The appetite is variable, 

 sometimes entirely suppressed, at other times much increased; 

 in spite of this there is emaciation, the mucous membranes are 

 pale, the coat loses its smoothness and luster. Constipation al- 

 ternates with diarrhea. Migration of the roundworms into the 

 stomach in cats and dogs causes vomiting, and occasionally one 

 finds the worms in the vomitus, composed of mucus and bile. 



Symptoms of intermittent and occasionally violent colic are 

 more frequently seen in horses, more rarely in dogs and cats. 

 Occasionally nervous phenomena occur in horses in the shape 

 of attacks of tetanic stiffness (Dieckerhoff, Hoffmann), also 

 epileptiform convulsions (Triilsen, Dubuisson), maniacal ex- 

 citement followed by coma (Duncan) and paretic weakness of 

 the hind legs (Danitz). In dogs, worms sometimes cause ma- 

 niacal excitement. Convulsions without any premonitory symp- 

 toms may occur during a meal, in pigs (Bru). 



Sometimes the clinical picture of intestinal obturation or 

 of peritonitis set in, or death occurs suddenly without any pre- 

 ceding sickness. 



