Gapes and Worms of Poultry. 



as when they have a free run ; hence it is that disease is so 

 often found in confined spaces, such as small-holders and 

 cottagers are obliged to use. It is in these instances that 

 special preventive and remedial measures are necessary, not 

 so much where farmers keep their birds on a free grass run ; 

 although, in the latter case, the more often the birds are 

 moved from field to field the better. 



Ml diseased birds that die should be properly destroyed ; 

 the head and necks of those that have succumbed to gapes 

 should be burnt. 



Drinking vessels must be kept scrupulously clean, and 

 pure water only given the birds to drink. The vessels are 

 best cleansed by being scalded, which should be done at least 

 once every week, for the eggs of this worm often get into the 

 water from the fowl's mouth whilst drinking, having been 

 released from the worm by the latter's rupturing during its 

 passage out from the trachea, and may become attached to 

 the green slime so often seen around the vessels. 



Remedies. — These are numerous. That most generally 

 employed is to open the bird's mouth and push a feather down 

 the windpipe and twist' it round, thereby dislodging some of 

 the worms, which get torn by the movements of the feather. 

 If this rather unsatisfactory measure is adopted, a drop of oil 

 of cloves or a drop of iodine on the feather will act more 

 successfully, but some worms may still remain unhurt in the 

 bronchi. The eggs escaped from the ruptured females may 

 also come up in the mucus and contaminate the ground and 

 water. 



The use of the fumigating-box is far the best method of 

 treatment. The box should be made large enough to take 

 several birds at once ; then through an opening either Camlin 

 Powder or a preparation of finely divided chalk and camphor 

 should be blown into the box with force by means of bellows, 

 so as to permeate the air in the box. The birds breathe this 

 in, the camphor causes the worms to relax their hold, and the 

 violent coughing which the powder produces helps the birds to 

 expectorate the parasites. To every ounce of powdered chalk 

 add half an ounce of finely ground camphor ; the fresher the 

 powder is the better. 



