Jan. 20, 1923 
Carbon Tetrachlorid as an Anthelmintic 
189 
SUMMARY 
Carbon tetrachlorid has a pronounced selective action on bloodsucking 
worms, as shown by its high efficacy against hookworms in dogs, foxes, 
cats, sheep, and cattle, Strongylus in the horse, stomach worms in sheep 
and cattle, and Nematodirus in sheep. 
It has a high efficacy against ascarids in dogs, cats, foxes, swine, and 
horses, being less effective, apparently, than chenopodium against 
ascarids in swine and more effective against ascarids in horses. It is 
less effective than chenopodium against ascarids in man, but its approxi¬ 
mate efficacy for the doses used can not be stated at present. 
It is not effective in removing pinworms from horses, but evidently 
has some efficacy against the related heterakids of monkeys and of birds. 
It will remove some pinworms from man in many cases, but its approxi¬ 
mate efficacy can not yet be stated. 
It is inferior to chenopodium for removing cylicostomes from horses, 
but is much superior to any drug yet tested for removing small tricho- 
strongyles from sheep. It will remove some nodular worms from sheep 
but it exhibits a variable efficacy in this connection, removing none in 2 
cases, 3 per cent in 1 case, 64 per cent in 1 case, and 100 per cent in 1 
case. In the large doses used on cattle it removed all the nodular worms 
present. 
In view of the results obtained and the apparent tolerance for large 
doses of this drug which some species of animals show, it may prove pos¬ 
sible to remove whipw T orms from some species of animals with this drug 
by giving doses so large that their bulk will in most cases insure the 
entrance of this drug into the cecum. One hundred per cent efficacy 
was obtained in some cases in removing whipworms from dogs, sheep, 
and cattle. 
Carbon tetrachlorid is inferior to carbon bisulphid for the removal of 
bots, but is superior to any drug other than this which has been tested 
against bots. 
Carbon tetrachlorid is not of value in removing tapeworms from 
chickens, dogs, sheep, cattle, or man, and will probably be of little value 
against tapeworms in any animals. We have seen a report in an 
Italian newspaper to the effect that this drug is specifically valuable in 
removing Tcenia solium , but the report is evidently based on the reviewer’s 
belief that the hookworm is the armed tapeworm. 
Its value in removing spirurids and Capillaria from chickens is prob¬ 
lematical and requires further investigation. 
Carbon tetrachlorid has not been tested on such forms as the common 
liver fluke {Fasciola hepatica). Floris (7) has reported carbon bisulphid 
as of value against these flukes. His work has not been followed up by 
other workers, however, and more information is needed in regard to 
this. If carbon bisulphid is effective, carbon tetrachlorid might also 
prove effective. Jeffreys (24), as already noted, states that carbon 
tetrachlorid is 100 per cent effective in removing intestinal flukes from 
foxes. He does not report his experiments and we have had no oppor¬ 
tunity to make tests along this line. 
Many patients report no symptoms following the oral administration 
of carbon tetrachlorid in therapeutic dose. Of the symptoms reported 
the most common appear to be a transient dizziness, slight headache, 
and a sensation of weight, warmth, or slight discomfort at the stomach. 
22329—23-5 
