THE POULTRY BOOK. 
329 
foldings of the ovarium, tuba, and uterus — the vagina terminating laterally at a 
point corresponding with the line of the upper fourth of the body. Here the male 
is usually found rigidly affixed by means of a strong membranous sucker, v/hich 
proceeds from the lower end of its body. This cup-shaped appendage is formed 
out of a folded extension of the skin which thus envelopes the centrally enclosed 
and rounded tail (fig. 4). The eggs of Sclerostoma syngainus are comparatively 
large, measuring, longitudinally, as much as the l-250th of an inch (fig. 5). 
Many of the ova contain fully- formed embryos; and in the centre of the lower 
third of the body of one of them I distinctly perceived an undulating canal, 
in’obahly constituting the as yet imperfectly formed intestinal tube. By wdiatever 
mode the young make their exit from the shell, it is manifest that prior to their 
expulsion they are sufficiently developed to undertake an active migration. Their 
next habitation may occur within the body of certain insect larvae or even small 
land mollusks ; hut I think it more likely that they either enter the substance of 
vegetable matters or bury themselves in the soil at a short distance from the 
surface.” 
Treatment. — The plan formerly adopted, of giving remedies internally to 
remove the worms, is not a good one, as the medicine has to be absorbed, pass 
into the blood, and act powerfully upon the body of the fowl before its purpose 
can be accomplished : its direct application to the worms is therefore preferable. 
This is readily secured by stripping the vane from a small quill feather, except 
half an inch at its extremity ; this should then he dipped in spirits of turpentine ; 
and the chicken being securely held by an assistant, the feather so prepared is 
passed neatly down through the small opening of the windpipe, which is readily 
seen at the base of the tongue. 
The turpentine at once kills the parasites, and its application excites a fit of 
coughing, during which they are expelled : this mode of application requires some- 
manual dexterity, and at times the irritation proves fatal. I have therefore suggested 
the shutting up of the chicken in a box, with some shavings dipped in spirits of 
turpentine, when the vapour arising from the extended surface produces in most, 
cases an equally beneficial result. 
In very urgent cases, the opening of the windpipe, as adopted by Dr. Cobbold, 
may be advantageously had recourse to ; but this method is evidently only necessary 
when the disease has so far advanced that immediate suffocation becomes in- 
evitable ; or it may be resorted to when other methods have failed. In the most- 
far-gone cases, instant relief will follow this operation, since the trachea may with 
certainty be cleared of all obstructions. 
As Dr. Cobbold observes, the most essential thing in view of putting a check 
upon the future prevalence of the disease, is the total destruction of the imrasites 
after their removal. If the worms be merely killed and thrown away (say upon 
the ground), it is scarcely likely that the mature eggs will have sustained any 
injury. Decomposition having set in, the young embryos will sooner or later 
F F 
