THE GAPE-WORM. 83 



unless eaten by their host, steps must be taken to 

 free the land from them if infected birds have been 

 present. Gas- lime is as good a purifier as any for 

 use on a large scale. It destroys all such germs, just 

 as sulphuric acid does, but is cheaper if it be used on 

 a large scale. Of course this necessitates a longer 

 absence of the birds from the invaded ground, as the 

 gas-lime takes some little time to work out. 



Another point to remember in regard to the 

 prevention of Gapes, is to destroy by fire the heads 

 and necks of all birds that have died and suffered 

 from this disease. By so doing, the worms and their 

 complement of ova are effectually disposed of. 



In regard to remedies, the first point to call for 

 attention is the removal of the worms from the 

 throat. These pests have been removed mechanically 

 for years. The usual plan is to pull off all the bar- 

 bules of a feather except those at the tip. Then dip 

 the feather in some substance obnoxious to the worms, 

 and put it down the fowl's throat into the trachea 

 and twist it round several times. On withdrawing 

 the feather, some of the worms will be found attached 

 to it. One part of oil of turpentine to two of olive- 

 oil has been found most successful. Oil of rue and 

 olive-oil in same proportions as above have been 

 employed with similar results. I have found oil 

 of cloves most useful, and less irritating than oil 

 of turpentine and paraffin, so often recommended. 

 An old plan of freeing the trachea of worms was by 

 inserting a looped horsehair into the fowl's trachea. 



g2 



