South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-02-05
FEATURES
AND TREATMENT OF WORMS
Difference Between True and
False GapeS - Suggestions
for Each Propagation of
Intestinal Worms and Their
Effect on Fowls.
by DT. u. +. Kaupp.
Poultry Investigator and Patholo-
gist for United States Depart
ment OF Agriculture.

ment OF Agriculture
Agricultural experts estimate that
almost 10 million dollars is lost an
nually By diseases OF poultry, OF
which a great part is due TO worms
which are harbOred in the intesti-
nal tract and other vital organs.
The writer OF this article has made
close study OF the subject. and
experimental with drugs and means
OF Kidding fowls Of these pests.
Some Of the results of his investga-
tons follow
The tube which extends from the
throat 20 the lungs is commonly
called the windpipe. It's scientific
term is the trachea. AS the result
OF worms in the trachea. a condi-
dition may develop which is called
gapes. so called because the bird in
its later stages gasps for air by ex-
tending its head high into the air
with mouth open.
True and False Gapes.
There are many causes for gapes.
such as pieces of cracked corn or
other particles of food being sucked
down the trachae opening in the
throat during the process of swal
lowing Examine the throat of a
bird and you will see a long slit
open and shut at the upper end of
the larynx. or box at the upper end
Of the windpipe There is no COW
ering to this air opening. as in
mammals, hence il is not so well
protected when the food passes over
il to the guuet or esophagus. Con-
sequently, if the bird chokes or
gasps "A small particle Of food may
find its way into the upper part Of
the windpipe and thus obstruct the
free passage of air We once found
whole grain of corn lodged in the
upper part Of the windpipe of a
fowl.
When the windpipe becomes OBJ
structed il is difficult for the air to
pass and the bird gasps obviously.
this Is not due 10 worms. And since
the condition due 10 worms is call
ed gapes. we call this other gasp
inR-false gapes.
There is "A worm, the male of
which is round, white in color and
about one-fourth inch long, and the
female is about one and One-fourth
inches long. which find their way
into the windpipe and cause true
gapes These two worms are usu-
ally attached, making a Y-shaped
looking worm. hut which, as just
stated. is really two distinct indivi-
auals. Many of these worms may
invade a single trachea and cause
serious trouble.
How the Worms spread.
When filled with mature eggs the
female worm is coughed out of the
trachea. or the chick dies and the
worms then decay. and finally the
eggs or minute worms are freed
upon the ground. These are de
Noured by earth-worms, which are
in turn eaten by the young chick
ems. and the bird is infested. only
Young birds are seriously affected
10y gapewcrms. old birds appear
against them At any rate they do
not produce serious results.
EarthwOrms taken into the stom-
ach OF the chick are digested, and
the minute worms (Synagamus ira
chealisl are liberated. Ii must be
remembered that all dead tissue is
digested by the stomach fluids but
the live worms are so constituted
that these secretions have no IN ef-
fects upon them The liberated
worms now bore their way through
the wall OF the stomach, and finally
become located ina the traChea. They
attach themselves i'm clusters to the
wall of the trachea. Their heads
are provided with suction discs 10y
which they hold on. The head
parts are equipped with micro
scopic membraneOus teeth that
wound the surface 10 which they are
attached and suck the blood. As the
worms grow the mass becomes
larger At first perhaps they cause
10 inconvenience. later they induce
grave symptoms and death. As
each worm grows the air passage
gradually becomes INSTRUCTED and
the bird finds breathing more and
more difficult Threatened with
suffocation the bird extends its head
into the air and Easps. The chick
then stand around dropped"
feathers runled sleepy. listless. Ii
ually comb. wattles and face turn
purple and the poor creature dies.
When Gapcs Get INTO the Flock.
Ground that is infested by these
worms cannot be used successfully
for rearing young chicks The soil
should be plowed and crops raised
upon it, Move an chick quarters.
10 is also a good plan 20 raise the
chicks away from the flock of
grown birds. allowing only the
mother that broods them 10 run
with them.
Sometimes the following method
relieves the victim. IL may be pos
sible TO feel the lump i'm the wind
pipe. and If SO. take a Iarre feather.
strip all the barbs. except the tip.
Dip this in kerosene, grasp the bird.
open its mouth and pass the feather
down the windpipc past the luWp Of
worms twist and withdraw the
feather. endeavorins 20 disIodge the
worms
Worms Pound I'M the IntcstincS.
There are two kinds of worms
commonly found i'm the intestines
and they have been found in so per