806 PAEASITIC DISEASES. 



carbonate of soda, and some bitter stomachic, as gentian or 

 chamomile, twice per day. The acid seems not only to have 

 the effect of destroying the parasites, but also of allaying the 

 bronchial irritation in a very short space of time. 



The " gapes " in fowls, due to a parasite in the air passages, 

 the Sderostoma syngamus, and indicated by gaping, gasping for 

 breath, sneezing, and frequent attempts at swallowing, is best 

 treated as recommended by Professor Cobbold and others. 



"First. When the worm has taken up its abode in the 

 trachea of fowls and other domesticated birds, the simplest plan 

 consists, as Dr. Wiesenthal long ago pointed out, in stripping a 

 feather from the tube to near the narrow end of the shaft, leav- 

 ing only a few uninjured webs at the tip. The bird being 

 secured, the webbed extremity of the feather is introduced into 

 the windpipe. It is then twisted round a few times and with- 

 drawn, when it will usually happen that several of the worms 

 are found attached. In some instances this plan entirely suc- 

 ceeds. But it is not altogether satisfactory, as it occasionally 

 fails to dislodge all the occupants. 



" Secondly. The above method is rendered more effectual when 

 the feather is previously steeped in some medicated solution 

 which will destroy the worms. Mr. Bartlett, superintendent of 

 the Zoological Society's Gardens, employs for this purpose salt, 

 or a weak infusion of tobacco ; and he informs me that the simple 

 application of turpentine to the throat externally is sufficient to 

 kill the worms. To this plan, however, there is the objection 

 that, unless much care be taken, the bird itseK may be injuriously 

 affected by the drugs employed. 



" Thirdly. The mode of treatment recommended by Mr. 

 Montagu appears worthy of mention, as it proved successful in 

 his hands, although the infested birds were old partridges. One 

 of his birds had died from suffocation; but he tells us that 

 change of food and change of place, together with the infusion 

 of rue and garlic instead of plain water to drink, and chiefly 

 hemp-seed, independent of the green vegetables which the grass 

 plot of the menagerie afforded, recovered the others in a very 

 short time.* 



" Fourthly. The plan I have here adopted, by way of experi- 

 ment, of opening the trachea and removing the worms at once. 

 This method is evidently only necessary when the disease has 



