INTERNAL PARASITES IN THE 
COMMON FOWL 
By THOMAS JAYLQB, M. D., Washington, D. C. 
Reprinted from the Proceedings of the American Society of Microscopists. 
CHICAGO MEETIISTG-, 1883. SOCIETY OF MICROSCOPISTS. 
131 
in tfve Coinmon eFowf. 
By Thomas Taylor, M. D., Washington, D. C. 
Mr. D. Turner, of Washington, D. C., observing that one of his 
domestic fowls had been ailing for some weeks, requested me to 
make a post-mortem examination of it to ascertain, if possible, the 
cause of its sickness. The fowl was brought to me in a moribund 
condition, and died within an hour after its reception. Its comb 
presented a deep red color, changing to black. I removed the 
viscera, and found them, with the exception of the lungs, in an 
apparently healthy condition. I observed, however, on the inter- 
costal muscles, bordering on the ribs, what resembled a reddish- 
yellow pigment spreading over the surface in 
streaks, while small specks of various forms 
covered the lining of the abdominal cavity. 
These specks varied in size from the point of 
a pin to that of a small pin head. On removing 
a small portion of the colored matter and 
viewing it under the microscope, I found it to 
consist of mites, Cytoleichus surcoptoides,Megnin 
(Fig. i,) in various stages of growth. I next 
removed a small portion of the lung tissue, and 
found in it several living mites of the same 
character. I subjected other portions of the lungs to the same 
examination, and found in them large numbers of these living mites, 
some of them so lively that it was difficult to keep them long in view 
under a i % inch objective. Although there is no record of this species 
being hitherto discovered in this country, it is known in Europe and 
is described by Megnin, who states that it causes there the death of 
Fig. 1. 132 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN 
wild and domestic fowls. He says it is found in the air passages of 
the lungs, in the bronchial tubes and their diversions, in the bones 
with which the air sacks communicate, and in other cavities. It is 
also found in the bronchi of birds, and when present in large numbers 
causes titillations of the bronchial mucous membrane, indicated by a 
slight cough, in some cases giving rise to symptoms of asphyxia and 
congestion, to which the bird may succumb. He instances the case 
of a pheasant which died of an unknown disease, and in which, when 
dissected, this obstruction of the bronchi was plainly seen. I think 
it probable that these mites, after they have effected a lodgment in 
the lungs, bore through the pleura and invade the thoracic and 
abdominal cavities, where they breed in large numbers, producing 
great irritation and ultimately the death of the fowl. 
About two months after the dissection of the fowl above mentioned, 
a second one was brought to me for examination by the same gen- 
tleman who brought the first. The comb of this, like that of the 
other, was highly engorged with blood and black at the tips. Its 
crop was greatly distended. It was unable to stand up, had a slight 
cough, and breathed with difficulty, yet exhibited considerable 
strength when about to be killed. It had been ailing during the 
previous four weeks. On removing the skin of this fowl, for the 
purpose of examining the condition of its cellular tissue, I observed 
great numbers of small white specks of calcareous matter, varying in 
size from the one-hundredth to the one-twelfth of an inch. When 
these opaque bodies were gently crushed in water and examined 
under the microscope, the remains of a species of mite were dis- 
cerned. On further investigation I found imbedded in the whole 
region of the cellular tissue quantities of living mites wholly free 
from the calcareous matter and of a different species from the first 
described. One of the most prominent distinguishing features of 
this mite was the presence of two caudal appendages. This species 
proved on further examination to be Laminosioptes gallinorum, Meg- 
nin, (Fig. 2), or a species closely related to it. The habitat of these 
mites seemed to be confined to the cellular tissue. I examined the 
flesh and viscera of this fowl for these mites, but found neither living 
mites, their remains, nor yet calcareous specks. Megnin states that 
in Europe this acarus has been found in all turkey hens, and SOCIETY OF MICROSCOPISTS. 
133 
especially in foreign turkeys of the family Phasania. He says that 
these acari gather in millions in the cellular tissue and destroy the 
fibers, but without causing any other change than the production of 
the calcareous concretions spoken of. He further says that they have 
been noticed in such numbers in old birds as to leave no doubt as 
to their being the cause of their death. On examining the crop of 
this second fowl, which, as I have already said, was greatly distended, 
I observed without the aid of the microscope numerous specks, of a 
more uniform character than those found on the cellular 
tissue, distributed over the whole surface. I exam- 
ined a small portion of the crop, not exceeding a 
quarter of an inch square, under a low power of the 
microscope, and found these specks to consist of what 
appeared to be a profusion or encysted Trichina 
spiralis, but on removing one of these nematoid worms 
from its watery cyst, and viewing it under a power of 
five hundred diameters, I found it to be an undescribed 
species; the male differing from any other nematoid, 
with which I am acquainted, in having on the terminal 
point of its caudal appendage a bulbous body covered with short 
spines. These encysted worms swarmed over the entire walls of 
the stomach and intestines and were apparently incased within the 
muscular coating. 
On examining the tissue of a third fowl, which died from an 
unknown cause, I found numerous mites in its cellular tissue of the 
species gallinorum above described, while no other parasites were to 
be seen within its tissue or viscera. From the results of these 
examinations it seems probable that a considerable amount of disease 
prevailing among American domestic fowls, and not referable to any 
known type, may be due to the presence of such parasites as are 
described in the cases mentioned above. Investigations, therefore, 
in this direction may have an important bearing on the healthful 
raising of domestic fowl. I would suggest as a remedy for diseases 
so caused the sprinkling of the nests with a few grains of napthaline, 
and the ground floor of the hen-houses might be sprinkled 
occasionally with a mixture of coal-oil and water in the proportion 
of one tablespoonful of oil to a gallon of water. 
Fig. 2.