Parasites of the CEsophagus. 249 



size of a hazel-nut, and in dogs have been known to interfere 

 with deglutition, cause vomiting, and induce septic inflammation. 

 (Briickmiiller, Johue, Manson). The host may even die from 

 inanition. Each tumor has a central orifice and when squeezed 

 furnishes a purulent discharge in which the worms are found. 

 In one colt of which the author was cognizant, the mucosa was 

 abraded in patches for several inches above the cardia, and the 

 spiroptera secreted under the remaining shreds. The colt had 

 died of inanition. 



The Spiroptera Scutata (Gongylonema scutata, Molin) 

 found by Miiller in the epithelium of a horse's gullet, is quite 

 common in the mucosa of the thoracic portion of that organ in 

 cattle, sheep and goats. The male is i to i^ inch, female 2j^ 

 to 3^ inches long. Its presence is betrayed by a yellow longi- 

 tudinal line in which the worm is found folded upon itself in a 

 .sinuous or zigzag manner like the wrinkles of a fibre of Merino 

 wool. The yellow line may extend to an inch in length, while 

 the worm, with its wrinkles effaced, may be from one to three 

 inches. The smaller spiroptera scutata of the pig, named gongy- 

 lonema pulchra by Molin because of the beautiful arrangement 

 of its cutaneous palpill^ is found also in the mucosa of the tongue 

 and pharynx (Korzil). So far they have not been shown to be 

 injurious to any of the hosts. 



Trichosoma Contortum in ducks. The twisted hair-bodied 

 worms, from ^ to i inch in length infest the crop of many birds 

 and according to Railliet and lyucet, cause ingluvial indigestion 

 (impaction of the crop). In an epizootic of this kind in Pekin 

 ducks they found as many as thirty worms in one host imbedded 

 in the mucosa of the cervical part of the ce.sophagus, their pres- 

 ence being betrayed by yellow lines, and extreme attenuation and 

 inertia of the walls. The symptoms are progressive emaciation 

 and weakness for five to ten days, when impaction of the gullet 

 and crop follows, and death ensues in two days more. As the 

 same worms are found free in the intestines, it is supposed that 

 this is only a temporary habitat. They cannot be reached by 

 anthelmintics, but by the use of these a source of their supply in 

 the intestinal canal may be cut off and a measure of prophylaxis 



ensured. 



Spiroptera of the Duck. S. Uncinata. This is a small 

 worm (male ^ inch, female yi inch) which was found in large 



