Now this symptom, diarrhoea, beyond pointing to worms as the cause, presents peculiarities which are instructive, for they indicate with some degree of certainty whether or not the number of the parasites within is large or small. For instance, if the number is large the diarrhoea is generally persistent; that is, it occurs day after day, and the discharges are thin, scanty, and largely made up of mucus, which is usually reddish in color and voided with some difficulty, as evinced by straining. On the other hand, if the number of worms is comparatively small the diarrhoea is, as a rule, less persistent, and may be present for a day and then disappear, not to return again for several days or perhaps a week or more. Usually, also, the mucus, while possibly quite abundant, is colorless or only slightly pinkish, and rarely is it of as deep red color as in the first instance.

This reddish color, by the way, is due to blood which has been forced into the mucous and submucous tissues, and its presence is evidence that the internal surface of the intestines is inflamed. Moreover, the deeper the color the more intense and extensive this inflammation.

The appetite of a puppy harboring a considerable number of worms generally fails at first, then becomes capricious, being now almost absent, and again well-nigh insatiable.

This calls to mind the absurd notion that the increased desire for food in these cases is occasioned by the clamor of the worms for better support. This is far from the truth, for the change is partly due to a morbid craving excited by the irritation which is caused by the fermenting contents of the stomach and intestines, digestion always being slow where these pests abound, and partly to the demand of the tissues generally for more nutriment than is supplied by the imperfect digestion and impeded absorption; while the defects in digestion and absorption are due to the mucous flux already alluded to, which, covering the internal surface of the intestinal canal, not only obstructs the flow of digestive fluids but the absorption and passage of the food elements into circulation.

Abdominal distention is always marked where there is any considerable trouble caused by worms, and although the victim may eat but a very moderate quantity he bloats up with astonishing rapidity, the distention being due to gas. Vomiting also occurs at times, and in occasional instances worms are expelled in this way.

Obviously, with worms interfering with digestion and nutrition a victim cannot long hold his own. As a matter of fact, evidence is soon manifested that he is not thriving as he ought, and even in quite mild cases the skin very generally lacks natural softness and elasticity and the coat is dry and rough, while in severe cases these changes are all more pronounced, and the hair sometimes falls out in patches, the mucous membrane of the mouth is pale, showing a poverty of blood, there are emaciation and lack of strength, and in some cases complete paralysis of the hind legs.

But the worst remains to be told. Worms often cause death either by sapping the strength of their victims, intestinal obstruction, convulsions, secondary affections, or boring through the intestines. And while there is no knowing which of these causes is the most frequent, there is reason for believing that the latter is not the least so.

As a rule, the anatomical characters presented after death by round worms are, redness, swelling and softening of the lining membrane of the intestines. These changes may be limited to small patches, but oftener they extend over considerable portions of the internal surface. The lining membrane is also covered with a tenacious mucus, which is either colorless or of a pinkish or brownish red hue; while if perforation has occurred there appears on close examination a small opening, oval in shape, in the intestinal wall and generally through the base of a gland.

Now to consider the measures of treatment required by young puppies infested with worms. Although very many drugs have been credited with anthelmintic properties the list has been shortening rapidly of late years, and at the present time powdered areca nut, santonin and the oils of wormseed and male fern are mainly relied upon. These are highly efficacious and safe when wisely employed. But all are to a certain extent absorbed by the system, some depress it more than others, and all have peculiar properties which specially recommend them for certain kinds of worms, consequently that the best results may be attained from their use the writer will dwell upon them at considerable length.

While in occasional instances puppies are seriously disturbed and even destroyed by worms before they have passed the third week, as a rule these dangerous tenants do not give positive evidence of their presence until after the weaning, which seems to have rather an exasperating effect upon them. And but for this tendency to delay to make themselves felt the mortality from them must be infinitely greater than it is now, for puppies previous to the period stated are yet feeble and poorly able to withstand the effects of simple drugs, much less those of depressing vermifuges.

Nor is it expedient to try to relieve nursing puppies of worms by the means of drugs given the mother and sent out to them through her milk. Theoretically this plan seems sound, but practically it is a failure. As a matter of fact, while some medicines enter the milk the number of such is much smaller than generally supposed. Again, the proportional quantities of those that appear in that secretion are very much less than accepted; and really only the most powerful drugs acting through the milk would have any decided effect upon the nursing offspring.

Take turpentine, for instance, that is readily absorbed from the intestinal canal and from the lungs. But it is eliminated by the breath and kidneys, and only a very small proportion of it enters the milk. And assuming that a nursing mother is given one-half a teaspoonful of this oil twice daily for several days, not enough of it would reach the puppies to have any anthelmintic effect. Furthermore, to give even this dose of turpentine and repeat each day for several days would be hazardous with most mothers; and certainly doses large enough to furnish the milk with the quantity necessary to destroy worms in the puppies would likely greatly injure the parent organism.