ASCARIS. MARGINATA. 323 
the vagina, where they excite itching, and possibly give rise to a thin, milky 
discharge. 
Aside from the local symptoms produced by these worms, and consequent 
uneasiness and nervousness, mature subjects are not likely to be affected; but 
when the victims are young puppies, often the appetite becomes capricious, 
and there is more or less palor of the mucous membranes, which indicates 
that the blood is poor. 
Treatment is generally fairly easy, since the most of these pests are within 
reach of destructive injections. 
Such may be variously composed. Common salt and water, one teaspoon- 
ful to a pint, acts well. So also the infusion of quassia, made by adding one 
ounce of the chips to a pint of boiling water, and allowing it to stand in a 
warm place for about two hours. 
If half a teacupful of this be injected once or twice daily it will soon effect 
a cure. 
Another efficient remedy can be prepared by shaking up one-half a tea- 
spoonful of the oil of turpentine with four ounces of olive or sweet oil. This 
should constitute one injection if the patient be a very old pup or matured dog. 
The injections ought to be repeated once or twice daily for nearly ten days. 
Occasionally they will be found to effect only temporary relief. The reason 
for this appears in the fact that the oxyuris develops high up in the intestine, 
and only the full grown, descend and reach the rectum. If injections fail, the 
patient should be treated as though he had round-worms. 
ASCARIS MARGINATA. 
The ascaris marginata is the principal round-worm found in dogs. No 
other species of worm occasions them so much trouble and disease, not ex- 
cepting the tape-worm ; and it is safe to assert that more than 50 per cent of 
dogs are victims of this parasite. 
It resembles the common earth-worm, and is of a yellowish- or reddish- 
brown color. When full grown the average male is from two to three inches, 
and the female from five to six inches in length; but often these measurements 
are exceeded by several inches. 
Its body is round and tapers toward both extremities; and its thickness 
generally is about that of an ordinary goose-quill. It is very active and strong, 
and has a thick, dense envelope, which resists pressure and the knife much 
like rubber. 
Round-worms are usually expelled singly or in small numbers, with bodies 
curled, but occasionally there are many of them in one discharge ; when most 
