THORN-HEADED WORM 665 



system becomes affected the condition is a serious one and death 

 very frequently occurs. 



Treatment. — As it is necessary for the hog to eat the grub worm 

 in order to become affected by this parasite, the disease will be 

 more commonly seen in pigs that are allowed to run in old hog lots, 

 around manure piles, or in clover pastures. It is in these locations 

 that the grubworm is particularly common. In preventing this 

 disease a great deal can be done by feeding the animals on a board 

 floor, and by keeping them away from old manure piles and other 

 places where the grubworm is particularly common. 



In attempting to remove this parasite from the bowels by 

 means of drugs considerable difficulty may be met with. It will 

 be remembered that the parasite keeps the head deeply buried in 

 the wall of the bowel, and this makes it often quite difficult to reach 

 the worm with the medicinal agents intended to destroy it. The 

 echinorhynchus does not seem to be killed by calomel, santonin, 

 or areca nut. These agents may, however, be administered in 

 the same dosage and in the same manner as for treatment of the 

 round-worm and whip- worm. Round- worms are often present with 

 the thorn-headed parasite, and the drugs given will at least drive 

 out the Ascaris suis and may bring the echinorhynchus with them. 



Stockmen and veterinarians have alike found turpentine one of 

 the most efficient remedies for removing the thorn-headed worm. 

 This agent, on account of its penetrating qualities, seems to more 

 effectively reach the parasites deeply buried in the wall of the intes- 

 tine and forces them to let go their hold. A good purgative should 

 be administered with the oil of turpentine, in order that the worms 

 may be quickly swept out from the bowel while they are temporarily 

 paralyzed by the action of the turpentine. A practical method of 

 administering the remedy is to give from a teaspoonful to a table- 

 spoonful of the turpentine to each animal in the morning, thor- 

 oughly mixed up with milk or thin slop. Turpentine mixes 

 very readily with milk, and the animals will take it in this way 

 without any trouble. It is a good plan to let the hogs to be 

 treated go without any feed the night before and administer the 

 drug on an empty stomach. This dose should be repeated each 

 morning for three mornings, and on the third morning give with 

 the turpentine a liberal dose of some active cathartic to sweep 



