POUIvTEY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 79 



"The intestinal catarrh shows itself, especially in chickens and 

 geese, as follows : The sick animals become emaciated, although 

 the appetite is not especially disturbed. At times the appetite 

 is even increased. The droppings are thin, contain considerable 

 yellow slime, and are passed in small quantities but at short 

 intervals. The poultry raiser nutst direct his attention to these 

 thin, slimy, and often bloody di'oppings, for if any treatment 

 against the tape worm is to be undertaken, this must be done as 

 early as possible. In observing the droppings it should be 

 noticed whether tape worm segments or eggs are present. The 

 eggs can be seen, of course, only with the microscope." 



"After a time other symptoms develop. The sick animals 

 become dull and listless, remain apart from the rest of the flock 

 — the feathers are ruffled and the wings droop, the appetite is lost 

 and the birds allow themselves to be easily caught. Although 

 it was stated that in the beginning of the trouble the appetite is 

 not disturbed, the sick animals develop an intense thirst for cold 

 water. When it rains they run under the eaves in order to 

 catch water, and in winter are eager for ice water.'' 



Since the examination of the feces for tape worm segments 

 is rather unsatisfactory for the farmer or poultryman. Stiles 

 says that "The best method for the farmer to follow is to kill 

 one of the sick chickens when he suspects tape worms and to 

 cut out the intestine. He should then open the intestinal tract 

 from gizzard to anus in a bowl of warm water, and look for 

 the parasites." (Cf. fig. 7). Finding the worms in the ali- 

 mentary canal is the only certain diagnosis of the disease. 



Treatment. — The chief drugs used for tape worms in fowls 

 are : Extract of male fern, turpentine, areca nut, powdered 

 kamala, pumpkin seed, pomegranate root bark and Epsom salts. 

 The following extract from Salmon gives the principal methods 

 of treatment and the doses : "One of the best methods of treat- 

 ing tape worms in fowls is to mix in the feed a teaspoonful of 

 powdered pomegranate root bark for every 50 head of birds. 

 In treating a few birds at a time it is well to follow this medicine 

 with a purgative dose of castor oil (2 or 3 teaspoonsful). 

 According to Ziirn, powdered areca nut is the best tape worm 

 remedy for fowls, but he states that turkeys are unfavorably 

 affected by it. It may be given in doses of 30 to 45 grains mixed 

 with butter and made into pills. Male fern is also a very 

 effectual remedy and may be used in the form of powder (dose 



