Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1897-12-03

with Dr.. Smith, o.
the bureau Of animal industry
for evidences Of blackhead dis
ease, we were very particular
to examine the intestines Of eac5
for tapeworms. and found more
were infested than we had even sus-
pected. OF the sixty-hye sick turkeys
showing no traces Of the liver disease
forty had tapeworms in their ines
tines. These worms were from a q1ar-
ter Of an inch 10 several inches &c
length. Occasionally those a foot u
more long were found. In some sped
mems great numbers Of very minus
worms lined the upper intestine; oth o.
ers contained only large, fully deves-
oped worms in the lower intestine. Ons
bird from a flock, the turkeys o.
which had been dying for over :
month and from which thirty had been
lost within week, was badly infested.
and no other cause for sickness could
be discovered. One little turkey thref
or four weeks old from another flock
had many small worms in the duode-
mum, while the lower intestine was al
most completely filed with tangled
bunch Of worms, about fifty in number,
several inches in length. This trou-
bic is very prevalent in some HOOKS
during the spring and summer, and
especially in July and August among
turkeys on land which has been over
stocked with them for several years.
Evidently the younger the turkeys re-
ceiye the parasites the more they suf-
fer. The worms probably irritate the
bowels, cause digestive arrangement,
diarrhea, weakness and death. A few
worms may do a little harm, while
great number may be fatal. Doubtless
II they survive until the embryos have
developed and have mostly passed out,
they may recover. At certain seasons
segments Of these worms may be found
early in the msrning under the roosts
among the droppings OF the infected
turkeys. Tapeworms cause more loss
among Western sheep, it is said, than
any other disease. AS their name i'm
plies, they are fat worms. They have
a head and many joints, or segments-
They have no mouth, their nourish-
ment-the digested contents Of the in
testines Of their host-being received
by absorption. The head attaches it
self to the lining Of the intestines by
its suckers, or by curved, claw-like
hooks The segments are gradually
formed next to the head and are push
ed back by the formation OF new ones,
and finally reach q position at the op-
posite extremity, or tail, when they
mature, separate and pass away. When
mature each segment is full OF embryo |
These embryos, those OF |
most species, are taken up by some |
animal, within which they pass the in |
stage OF development and /
then pass TO their final host. DR.. Sal /
mon thinks it will be found that /
sarthworms, insects or snails are the /
host Of these tapeworm
embryos; that they probably are not
able TO develop without an informed
ate host The longer tapeworm-in-
'ected turkeys have been kept on
place and the greater the number an
lually grown the more thoroughly will
apewOrm eggs be sown upon the land.
II you can keep the breeding turkeys
rec from the worms you may prevent
hem from sowing the seeds OF the
apeworm crop. Dosing them in win
er and spring to free them would be
N important preventive measure.
They should be confined TO an inclos-
ire while being treated and the ground
nd their droppings frequently disin-
ected TO destroy the eggs that pass
fl. The little turkeys should be rails
d on land that turkeys or chickens
ave not run on for years. as well as
iven an occasional dose that will kill
worms. Possibly wild birds and ami
nails may infest such ground with the
anne embryOs. Freshly powdered |
ousso is recommended as one Of the
est worm medicines for human be-
lgs. The dose for a child OF six years
; one-fourth ounce, given in the
forming on an empty stomach. A
revious evacuation OF the bowels is
as well as a brisk ca
lartic, should the medicine not act on
lie bowels within three or four hours.
ne dose is usually sufficient TO de-
roy the worms. Kousso poisons the I
orms. but not the patient Male fern 7
also efficient. but an overdose pois-
rs the patient Tansy. powdered ar
a nut and ground pumpkin seed are
so used as remedies. ASafoetida and | I
Irpentine are recommended Turkey 6
-owers should cautiously test the