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THE GAPE WORM AND THE WHITE 

 INTESTINAL WORMS OF POULTRY. 



i. The Gape Worm {Syngamus tracheahs). 



I • 



The Gape Worm ( Syngamtis Irachealis), male and female (magnified, line showing 



natural size). 



Of all parasitic diseases from which poultry suffer, Gapes 

 certainly stands second to none in importance, on account of 

 its widespread occurrence. Every poultry keeper knows of 

 the disease, but very few know much about its economy, and 

 yet a knowledge of its life-history and habits cannot fail 

 to be of advantage. 



The prevalence of the worm seems to be increasing, but I 

 fancy this is only an apparent increase, due to the fact that 

 more notice is taken of such matters now than formerly, tor 

 our poultry are kept in a more sanitary state than ten years 

 ago. One estimate of the 3oss caused by Gapes is given in 

 Fleming's Parasitic Diseases of Domesticated Animals, the loss 

 being estimated by Crisp (in 1872) for England at half a 

 million pullets per annum. I believe this to be far below the 

 proper estimate. Gapes has been known for a great number 

 of years ; one of the earliest records I can find is in 1 799, 

 when Dr. Wiesenthal drew attention to the mortality in 

 fowls and turkeys caused by this worm in America in the 

 Medical and Physical Journal for May 21st, 1799. 



This disease is caused by a Nematode or Round Worm, 

 popularly called the Gape Worm, the Forked or the Red 



