The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1898-01-08

I'd different fl O C X 81
with DR.. Smith, of
the bureau of animal industry,
for evidences of blackhead dis
ease, we were very particular
to examine the intestines of each
for tapeworms, and found more
were infested than we had wen sus-
pected. OF the sixty-five sick turkeys
showing no traces of the liver disease,
forty a tapeworms in their intes-
tines. These worms were from a quar-
ter of an inch to several inches in
length. Occasionally those a foot or
more long were found. In some speci-
mems great numbers of very minute
worms lined the upper intestine; 9TH
ers contained only large, fully devel-
oped worms in the lower intestine. One
bird from a flock, the turkeys OF
which had been dying for over a
month and from which thirty had been
lost within a week, was badly infested,
n no other cause for sickness could
be discovered. One little turkey three
or four weeks old from another flock
had many small worms in the duode-
num-, while the lower intestine was al
most completely filled with a tangled
bunch of worms, about fifty in number,
several inches in length. This trou-
BILE Is very prevalent in some focks
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-
ceive 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 a
great number may be fatal. Doubtless
if 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 morning 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 fiat 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 a position at the OPP
posite extremity, or tail, when they
mature, separate and pass away. When
mature each segment is full of embryo
tapeworms. These embryos, those of
most species, are taken up by some
animal, within which they pass the in
termediate stage Of development and
then pass to their final host. DR.. Sal
mon thinks it will be found that
earthworms, insects or snails are the
intermediate host of these tapeworm
embryos; that they probably are not
able to develop without an informed
late host. The longer tapeworm-in-
fected turkeys have been kept on a
place and the greater the number an
nually grown the more thoroughly will
1855 D0 0oWA upOu LuG ldnu.
II you can keep the breeding turkeys
free from the worms you may prevent
them from sowing the seeds of the
tapeworm crop. Dosing them in win
ter and spring to free them would be
an important preventive measure.
They should be confined to an inclos-
ure while being treated and the ground
and their droppings frequently disin-
fected to destroy the eggs that pass
off. The little turkeys should be rails
ed on land that turkeys or chickens
have not run on for years, as we'll as
given an occasional dose that will kill
worms. Possibly wild birds and ami
a may infest such ground with the
same embryos. Freshly powdered
kousso is recommended as one of the
best worm medicines for human be-
ings. h dose for a child of six years
Is one-fourth ounce, given in the
morning on an empty stomach. A
previous evacuation of the bowels is
recommended. as well as a brisk ca
thartic, should the medicine not act ON
the bowels within three or four hours.
One dose is usually sufficient to de-
stroy the worms. Kousso poisons the
worms, but not the patient. Male fern
Is also efficient, but an overdose pois-
ons the patient. Tansy, powdered ar
eca nut and ground pumpkin seed are
also used as remedies. Asafoetida and
turpentine are recommended. Turkey
growers should cautiously test the
remedy to learn the proper dose for lit
tie turkeys. We have not done that.