DISEASES DUE TO INTEENAL PARASITES. 217 



worm is made up of segments, very wide and flat, which vary in 

 length in the different portions of its extent. In appearance the 

 worm is a dull white, but becomes transparent on being sub- 

 merged for a few hours in water. Each segment is endowed 

 with an independent set of genital organs, and contains eggs or 

 young embryos, so it will be observed that each segment is cap- 

 able of reproducing its kind without the assistance of outside 

 agencies. The segments become mature as the embryos develop 

 within them, and are separated from the others to be ejected with 

 the excreta on the ground, there to fulfill their life cycle. The 

 segments nearest the tail maturing first, are the first to be shed, 

 the remainder following in their turn till the head only remains. 

 It is owing to this process that lambs are able to recover after 

 being attacked by this species of taenia. 



Symptorns. 



A paleness of the skin will be noticeable, the visible mucous 

 membranes, such as the lining of the eyelids, will also have a 

 bloodless appearance, the fleece is dry and brittle, the animal be- 

 comes poor in flesh, and, should it be a lamb, it ceases to develop. 

 The appetite will still remain good, being increased if anything, 

 the desire for liquids is also increased, the animal at times drink- 

 ing greedily. The digestive functions soon become deranged, 

 rumination is imperfectly performed, the breath becomes foetid, 

 signs of colic will be observed at irregular intervals, the evacu- 

 ations are varied in character, at times the animal is constipated, 

 again it suffers from exhaustive diarrhoea, the belly becomes 

 distended owing to accumulations of faecal matter or gas. The 

 evacuations have a mucus character and are yellowish in color, 

 an examination freqtiently revealing segments of the taenia ex- 

 pansa. In severe cases the sheep becomes so weak that it with 

 difficulty keeps with the flock when grazing. They are attacked 

 with convulsions, finally a malignant diarrhoea which refuses to 



