Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1898-02-04
PARASITES PREY ON SEAL PUPS.
Cause of the Heavy Mortality ON the
Rookerics,


The fur seal pup is commonly prey
20 a peculiar parasite-a blood-sucking
worm which lodges in the intestines
and sucks until the victim dies. DR.,
Steineger and Mr.. Lucas, who were sent
to the Pribyloff islands last summer
by the Smithsonian institution, have
brought back lot of these worms in
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, or
by the fighting bulls. Now for the first
time it 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 DIR. 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 IL
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 efficient
vermifuge, such as "thymol," and the
patient quickly RECEIVERS 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 a
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 sus-
pected cases, pouring down the throat
of each dose of vermifuge. Two or
three doses will cure, and thus one i'm
portant cause of the destruction Of
these valuable pinnipeds will be re-
moved.
The worms do not multiply in the
bodies of the seal pups. 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
eggs, which are hatched in the intes-
tine, where the young worms at once
take up the business of blood-sucking.
The disease called miners anaema,"
caused by parasite so nearly like as 10
be practically the same as the enemy OF
the seal pups, seems to have originated
in Italy, and few years ago it become
epidemic among the laborers in the St
Gothard tunnel. 1t was doubtless In
troduced by Italian workmen who
chanced to be infected with it, and lack
of proper sanitary arrangements en-
couraged its spread. Many died oi
it. Recently three or four cases
have appeared in the country, and
it is predicted that the maady
will surely appear in the coal mines OF
the United States before long, brought
by immigrant miners. 1t has beer
making a good deal of trouble in Cen
tral America lately.
The parasites are threadlike worms
about an inch long, and, as in the cast
OF the seal pups, the eggs get into tn,
body by accidental swallowing. Every
time the creatures stop sucking at tn,
walls of the intestine there is littlt
bemorrhage at the point attacked
Pretty soon the man becomes pale ant
thin, and he gets worse until deatl
comes to his relief.
The same parasite, practically
though again different species, at
tackled dogs. 1t is accountable for tn,
fact that so many high-bred dogs il
every litter are apt to die. The remed,
is the same-namely, an efficient vermi
fuge. st. Louis Globe-Democrat.