The management and treatment of the horse in the stable, field, and ...

22G The Management and Treatment of the Horse,
parasites are formed male and female, and as nature
formed nothing in vain, they must propagate in the
ordinary manner of reproduction. Very much has
been written about the parasite kingdom in relation to
the animal economy of late years. I do not intend to
enter fully into their organization, but shall be content
to turn out the bad tenant, and be glad when I have
done so. The general symptoms of being troubled with
worms are loss of appetite, griping pains and rough
coat, and tucked-up belly are symptoms of worms of
the larger species, lumbricus teres, or long white round
worm, very much resembling the long earthworm, and
varying in length from five to ten inches in length.
Itching of the rectum, evinced by quick twitching of
the tail, and a small quantity of mucous, which hardens
and has the appearance of white powder, at the anus ;
this is indicative of the presence of ascarides, small
needle-formed worms, which lodge in the larger
intestines, and frequently find their way in great
numbers into the ca3cum. A third sj)ecies, although of
much rarer occurrence, inhabits various parts of the
intestinal canal from the stomach downward; this is
the tapeworm, which is known from its broad, fiat, tape-
like appearance, and consisting of many joints. This
species is the most formidable and the most difficult to
remove. In No. 3 of the Fifth Series of Science Lectures
for the People, the following description of the tapeworm
is given :— " There is one group of worms—namely,
the cestoidea or tapeworm. Here we have a truly
singular series of creatures. Most people have heard of
such worms, but comparatively few have seen any.