Internal Parasites. 223 



all cases be eschewed, because they are liable to cause much 

 suffering without entailing any adequate result. 



It is also worthy of remark that, after the expulsion of 

 the worms, everything tending to support the system should 

 be employed in view of restoring the animal to perfect 

 health ; and lastly, as a hygienic or prophylactic measure, 

 I would advise the frequent application either of carbolic 

 acid solutions, or of salt and water, to the flooring of ken- 

 nels. Furthermore, I would strongly recommend the 

 •occasional throwing down of bucketfuls of boiling hot 

 water, since the performance of this very simple act could 

 not fail to be productive of good results in ways too 

 numerous to be particularised. 



The Cruel Thread-worm (Filaria immitis') inhabits the 

 -heart of the dog. Dr. Cobbold observes : " If a female 

 -Filaria immitis be removed from the heart of a dog, and 

 be examined with a microscope, the oviducts will be found 

 to swarm with eggs and embryos, in all stages of develop- 

 ment." Dr. Jones Lamprey, writing from China, July, 1865, 

 .says : " The hearts of native and foreign dogs at Shanghai 

 are invariably found to contain these entozoa," and he 

 suggests that the animals may have obtained their parasites 

 -from ova of ascarides passed by man. He also remarks 

 that human excrements constitute " the principal food of 

 the native dog," and he asserts that the faeces are "not 

 disliked by the foreign dogs, however well fed." 



Dr. Cobbold continues : " The symptoms of the disease 

 are extremely variable ; some of the dogs dying suddenly 

 in a fit, whilst others linger and betray evidences of excru- 

 ciating pain. As to treatment, it is obvious that nothing 

 can be done when the parasites have once got possession 

 of so vital an organ as the heart. Nevertheless, further 

 researches may enable us to suggest prophylactic measures, 

 hy which the epizootic may be checked. There is one im- 

 portant point that ought not to remain long unverified. We 

 ■want to know for certain whether the blood of these dogs 



