ABSTRACTS.
311
Some modern aspects of anthelmintic treatment. ROBINSON, L. E. Vet-. Rec. 13.
332-338 (1933).
Two methods of determining the anthelmintic efficacy of a drug are known (1) Counting eggs in
fæces before and after the treatment and (2) Comparison of the worms expelled with the worms
not expelled, the latter being ascertained by killing the host after treatment.
The anthelmintic selected should be effective in expelling the particular parasite, no risk of
harm to the host should be involved, it should be cheap and easy and quick to administer.
Very young, aged, pregnant females, extremely debilitated, emaciated and starved animals are
unfit for anthelmintic treatment. So also are subjects suffering from febrile toxæmic conditions,
gasto-enteritis, constipation, hepatic and renal diseases. Fatty food is a contra-indication in carbon
tetrachloride treatment.
Castor oil should be administered with oil of chenopodium and magnesium sulphate after carbon
tetrachloride.
Fasting before dosing.—Horses should be starved for 12 to 24 hours while treating for
stomach and intestinal worms and for 36 hours in cases of strongyles. Pigs for 24 hours,
ruminants, dogs and cats overnight. Food should not be allowed until time has allowed the drug
to get clear of the stomach (3 to 4 hours).
The following principal drugs are used in modern anthelmintic treatment:—
(1) Extract of male fern is a classical remedy for tapeworms. Danistol or distol are exten-
sively used for liver flukes.
(2) Areca nut is good for dog tapeworms.
(3) Carbon tetrachloride is useful for hookworms of dogs and sheep, liver flukes of ovines,
Ascaridia and Heterakis of fowls. It is dangerous in subjects suffering from blood
calcium deficiency. It has, however, no tendency to cause abortion.
(4) Tetrachlorethylene has all the qualities of carbon tetrachloride except for fluke infection.
There is, however, no unanimity in regard to its efficacy.
(5) Oil of chenopodium is very efficacious in cases of ascarids. Diet rich in carbohydrate is
indicated before treatment. It is also a successful remedy for cylicostomes of horses.
It is also administered in combination with carbon tetrachloride and such combination
is said to be more effective.
(6) Santonin with calomel is given to dogs for expelling ascarids. It should not be given
on empty stomach and to puppies under eight weeks old.
(7) Thymol is used for strongyles of horse. Rectal injections of thymol emulsion remove
helminths of the lower bowels. Contra-indications are oils, fats and alcohols. The cost
is rather prohibitive.
(8) Hexyl resorcinol is effective for ascarids, hookworms, whipworms, tapeworms and thread-
worms. It is difficult to administer since it affects the mucous membrane of the mouth.
(9) Tartar emetic—Intravenous injections of 1 to 2 per cent. aqueous solution every 2nd
or 3rd day is effective against schistosomes.
Helminth parasites in parts of body other than alimentary canal. For lung worms there is
only palliative treatment. Inhalation or intratracheal injection of chloroform and carbon tetrach-
loride and mechanical removal of worms are the only remedies which reduce the intensity of
infection. Complete removal has not been possible in this case up to the present moment.