42 THE SILK WORM. 



must be attended to immediately, or the destruction of 

 the whole family may be the consequence. The only 

 remedy for the diseased Worms is to remove them to 

 a separata apartment and give them additional heat. 

 A change of air and an increase of heat, sometimes 

 effects a cure; but far the greater part that are at- 

 tacked die. Early attention to the diseased Worms 

 will, however, generally prevent the spreading of the 

 disease, which is the great object to be accomplished. 

 For this purpose, all dead and diseased Worms should 

 be speedily removed and the dead bodies carefully 

 buried, to avoid their being eaten by poultry. In 

 1792, a family of Silk Worms in Bucks county Penn- 

 sylvania, were attacked with this disease and many 

 of them died. The remainder were cured by eating 

 oak leaves which accidentally come in their way. 



The Muscardine. This disease sometimes attacks 

 the Worm in the fifth age. It is engendered by a 

 long continuance of hot, dry, close, or calm state of 

 the atmosphere. Its symptoms are black spots on 

 different parts of the Worm, which afterwards turns 

 yellow, then red, or cinnamon color, diffusing over 

 the whole body. The Worm finally becomes hard 

 and covered with a white mould and dies. The only 

 remedy is to purify the room. 



The Tripes. This disease is engendered by the 

 confined exhalations of the Worms and their litter. 

 When the Worms are laboring under this disease, 

 they become flaccid and soft, and when dead, for a 

 time, retain the semblance of life and health ; but 

 soon turn black and become putrid. This is the only 

 disease to which the Silk Worm is very liable in this 

 country ; and this, it is said, may be prevented by 

 the use of chloride of lime in the cocoonery. It has 



