DISEASES OF POULTRY. 



117 



birds die as though from an acute disease. The most 



certain evidence of 

 the nature of the 

 trouble is the discov- 

 ery in the intestines of 

 large numbers of one 

 or more of the species 

 of worms mentioned 

 above, upon exami- 

 nation of birds from 

 the flock which have 

 died or which have 

 been killed. 



According to Nessl, 

 the young fowls 

 which harbor numer- 

 ous tapeworms lose 

 their appetite, become 

 emaciated, dull and 

 feeble, isolate them- 

 selves and hold the 

 head under the wing. 

 Other authorities 

 have observed diar- 

 rhea, sometimes epi- 

 leptiform attacks, 

 stiffness in movement 

 and the legs strad- 

 dling. The only cer- 

 tain sign is the pres - 

 ence of sections of 

 the tapeworms in the 

 excrement. 

 An enzootic of tse- 



niasis (tapeworm disease), which killed 30 out of a 



Fig. 25.— Drepanidotaenia irifundibulif orm- 

 is. a, worm natural size; ^, an inverted 

 piece of chicken's intestine with numerous 

 tapeworms attaclied. 



