WORMS. 



807 



The cause of this was probably some acrid principle in the grass, and many 

 a horse is thus destroyed by the abominable and poisonous drinks of the 

 farrier* 



WORMS. 



Worms of different kinds inhabit the intestines ; but, except when they exist 

 in very great numbers, they are not so hurtful as is generally supposed, although 

 the groom or carter may trace to them hidebound, and cough, and loss of appe- 

 tite, and gripes, and megrims, and a variety of other ailments. Of the origin 

 or mode of propagation of these parasitical animals we can say little ; neither 

 writers on medicine, nor even on natural history, have given us any satisfactory 

 account of the matter. 



The long white worm (lumirieus teres) much resembling the common earth- 

 worm, and, being from six to ten inches in length, inhabits the small intestines. 

 It is a formidable looking animal, and if there are many of them they may 

 consume more than can be spared of the nutritive part of the food or the mucus 

 of the bowels. A tight skin, and rough coat, and tucked up belly, arc some- 

 times connected with their presence. They are then, however, voided in large 

 quantities. A dose of physic will sometimes bring away almost incredible 

 quantities of them. Calomel is frequently given as a vermifuge. The seldomcr 

 this drug is administered to the horse the better. It is the principal ingredient 

 in some quack medicines for the expulsion of worms in the human subject, ana 

 thence, perhaps, it came to be used for the horse, but in him we believe it to 

 be ineit as a vermifuge, or only useful as quickening the operation of the aloes. 



• Veterinarian, VI. 12. 



X 2 



