561 



the parasites of wild biids in ccmut'ctioii with those o\' 

 onr domesticated foAvls. 



SYMPTOMS AND PATI K •].( K". Y. 



From a standpoint of symptomatology, practically 

 nothing- is known upon this subject. In general, how- 

 ever, it may be slated that aquatic birds are less af- 

 fected by the presence of tapeworms than land birds; 

 that young' birds suffer more than old birds; and that, 

 although a fowl ma^' harbor a small number of tape- 

 worms without showing any appreciable effects, a 

 heavy infection injures the health and may result in 

 death, as has been abundantly demonstrated by epi- 

 demics observed in different ])arts of the world. Tt 

 has also been noticed that poultry are more severely 

 infested in wet years than in dry years, and the general 

 applicaticai may be made that jioultiy kept in dam]) 

 places will be more heavily infested than fowls kept 

 in di*y places. All of these stnt(^ments nre general 

 prinoiples of painsitology. 



Ziirn (1882, p. 17) gives the symptoms as follows: 



If numerous tapeworms are present in the intestine of young 

 or old fowls a more or less extensive intestinal catarrh de- 

 velops, corresponding to the greater or leps number of parasites 

 present. 



The intestinal catarrh shows itself, esiieeially in chickens and 

 geese, as follows: The sick animals become emaeia'-.ed, al- 

 though the appetite is not especially disturbed. At times the 

 appetite is even increased. The droppings are thin, oonLain 

 considerable yellow slime, and are passed- in small quantities 

 but at short intervals. The poultry raiser must direct his at- 

 tention to these thin, slimy, and often bloody droppings, for 

 if any treatment against the tapeworms is to be undertaken, 

 this must be done as early as possible. In observing the drop- 

 pings it should be noticed whether tapeworm segments or eggs 

 are present. The eggs can be seen, of course, only with the 

 microscope. 



