The Holly chieftain., 1898-01-21
PARASITES paEy ON SEAL PUPS.
Cause Of the Heavy Mortality On the
Roekeriee.

IrAHAStteS PHev On oGAI PUPS.
Cause ef the Heavy Kortsiity On the
R0okerlee.
The fur seal pup is commonly prey
10 a peculiar parasite-a blood-sucking
worm which lodges in the intestines
and sucks until the victim dies. DR..
Stejneger and Mr.. Lucas who were sent
to the Pribylo6 islands last summer
by the Smithsonian Institution, have
brought back lot Of these worms in
a bottle. They got them from the
bodies of dead pups ON the rookeries.
Hence very extraordinary discovery.
Large numbers Of seal pups die an
nually on the rookeries from no appar-
ent cause. Hitherto it has been taken
for granted that they were killed by
being stepped on by their parents. o.
by the fighting bulls. Now for the frs.
time 1t is ascertained that this theory is
wholly a mistake. The fact is that
the pups are bled to death by the worms
aforesaid. The parasites were found in
the intestines Of every dead pup ex-
amined by Mr.. Lewis and DR.. Stejneger.
The discovery is due to DR.. Stiles,
government specialist in animal para
sites. He finds that the worms are prac-
tically the same as certain bloodsuck-
ers which cause a dreadful disease III
man. The disease is called miners
aneamia," and is always fatal unless
checked by proper remedial measures.
The parasites, whether in man or In
seal, fasten themselves upon the walls
Of the .intestines and suck. They can
be destroyed, however, by any efiicien:
vermifuge, such as ''thymol," and the
patient quickly recovers health.
Here it has been suggested is n new
and sure method of increasing the
number Of seals on the rookeries. The
annual diminution by what was hither-
to supposed to be trampling can be
prevented entirely by administering 4
simple remedy to such of the pups as
show signs of lack Of vitality. There
is no great difficulty in handling the
pups on the rookeries, and native
Aleuts, properly trained to the work,
can go among them and pick out sts-
pected cases. pouring down the throa:
Of each dose OF vermifuge. Two or
three doses will cure, and thus one inn
portant cause of the destruction oi
these valuable pinnipeds will be re-
moved.
The worms do net multiply in tho
bodies Of the alpups. They lay eggs
however-more properly speaking, EN-.
/ bryos--which are discharged by the
| animal The pups scrambling around
) on the sand, swallow some of these
r eggs. which are Matched in the intes.
8 tine, where tn. yohng worms at once
l take up the businets Of blood-sucking
j, The disease called "miners' anaemia,' !
E caused by parasite so nearly like us 1,
q be practically the same as the enemy oi
J. the seal pups, seems to have originated
c in Italy, and few years ago it becom,
n epidemic among the laborers in the st
4 Gothard tunnel. It was doubtless in
o troduced by Italian workmen who
y CHANGED to be infected with it, and lacl
h Of proper sanitary arrangements en-
d couraged its spread. Many died o
o it.. Recently three or four case
T. have appeared in the country. ant
v it is predicted that the malad,
# will surely appear In the coal mines o
&c the United States before long, brough
Al by immigrant miners. It has beef
making good deal of trouble In Cen
m trial America lately
n The parasites are thresdlike worm
d. about an inch long, and, Is In the cas-
ID of the seal pups, the egg, get into tn
er body BY accidental swallowing. Ever,
time the creatures stop sucking at tn
N, walls Of the intestine there Ia littl,
bemorrhage at the point attacked
Pretty soon the man becomei pale an,
re thin, and be gets worse uttil deatl
. comes to his relief.
The same parasite practically
$50 though again different species. at
os tackled dogs. 1t is accountable for th,
- fact that so many high-brei dogs I,
every litter are apt to de. TIE remed,
tb is the same-namely. anefficknt vermi
bc fuge.-St. Louis Globe democrat.