PARASITIC DISEASE. 
405 
symptom of wliich was continuous wasting. Prior to her 
admission she had been for several months under the care of 
a veterinary surgeon^ but without any benefit being obtained. 
Her weak and irritable pulse^ haggard appearance, fastidious 
appetite, and great emaciation, led to a diagnosis of the case 
being one of tabes scrofulosa. After remaining in the in¬ 
firmary about two months, during which time trial was given 
to various remedies, her owner consented to have her de- 
stroved. 
4.' 
The post-mortem examination showed that she was a prey 
to entozoa; thousands of strongyles —strongulus armatus — 
being located in the intestinal canal, particularly in the 
caecum and colon. The coats of the intestines were thick¬ 
ened in places from the burrowing of the worms into the 
sub-mucous tissue to deposit their ova. The mesenteric 
arteries were enlarged throughout, and their coats indurated 
and greatly increased in thickness. On slitting them up 
they were found to contain a large number of young stron¬ 
gyles, sexually immature, which had produced extensive 
disease of the inner coat of the vessels and an aneurismal 
condition of the mesenteric artery at its origin from the 
aorta. A remarkable feature in the case is that none of 
the medicinal agents led to the expulsion of any worms 
from the intestinal canal; hence a difficulty in forming a 
correct diagnosis. The mare had bred several foals, and 
appeared to be in perfect health until after the weaning of 
the last one. Originally she was an animal of great value, 
having cost her owner several hundred pounds. 
An allied case in a yearling thorough-bred colt was seen 
by Professor Spooner, at the Willesden Paddocks, almost 
immediately after the death of this mare. The young animal 
was the subject of rheumatismal inflammation of the joints, 
but its emaciation and weakness were so great that it was at 
once suspected that some other cause was in operation. 
Within a few days the animal died, and the carcass was for¬ 
warded to the College for examination. 
The autopsy revealed the fact that myriads of strongyles 
were located in the large intestines, and that their sexually 
immature broods had found their way into the branches of 
the mesenteric artery, causing extensive disease in the coats 
of the vessels. 
