Sept. 2, 1908.] Agncidtural Gazette of N.S.W. 725 



" mousey " odour is given off, and the feathers can easily be pulled out. 

 The affected parts become very irritable, which causes the fowls to scratch, 

 and the part soon becomes stripped of feathers. 



The cause is attributed to a parasite, and rapidly spreads. 



Another authority describes it as a scurvy eruption, not unlike to the human 

 disease known as eczema. The comb looks as if flour had been dusted on 

 it, and in severe cases a running sore will start, when the remedies have to be 

 drastic. The best thing to do is to saturate the comb with paraffin or tur- 

 pentine, and then rub it over with carbolic ointment, and to repeat the 

 process morning and night for two or three days, when a cure will probably 

 be effected. 



The disease has of late become so prevalent in Erglancl that a few months 

 ago the Secretary to the Board of Agriculture issued the following leaflet on 

 the subject: — 



Favus is a disease produced by a minute parasitic fungus known scientifically as 

 Achorion sdueuleinii (Reniak). This fungus attacks the comb, wattles, and neck, &c., of 

 birds, and causes the feathers of the latter to fall off ; sometimes one side only of the neck 

 may be affected, becoming quite deplumed, while the other shows no signs of invasion ; 

 but, as a rule, it is the comb that suffers first and most from the attack. 



It is very destructive in poultry yards, and, being highly contagious, often s|)reads with 

 great rapidity. A single diseased cock soon contaminates the whole run, and several 

 outbreaks have been traced to a new male bird fi'om an affected yard. 



The first signs of an attack of favus are small, pale, irregular, cup-Uke spots on the 

 comb or wattles, generally appearing on the comb first. These s]iots grow together, and 

 sooner or later form a confluent covering of a dirty yellowish-grey substance, wliich is often 

 arranged in concentric layers. These crusts often grow to a consitlerable thickness. When 

 they are present on the comb or wattles there may be a complete and rapid disaj^pearance 

 of the malady; but when the feathered areas become invaded it is more persistent. Some- 

 times the breast, and especially the rump, is denuded by this fungus, which, when present 

 on the feathered parrs, usually ends fa tall}', unless treatment is resorted to. The feathers 

 become erect and dry and fall off, and leave the denuded skin covered with dull yellowish- 

 grey crusts, showing here and there depressions from which the feathers have fallen. The 

 fungus may easily be observed by scraping the diseased siu-face or the skin under the crusts, 

 and examining the debris under the microscope. It will then be seen to consist of a 

 number of fire threads (the mycelia) and numerous spores, sometimes nearly the whole 

 mass being composed of the latter. To examine the fungus, the debris from the skin and 

 crusts should be put on a slide, and then moistened with distilled water and a little acetic 

 acid. 



Care should be taken in handhng patients, as the disease can be transmitted to man, on 

 whom it is not so amenable to treatment as in birds. It is probable, however, that the 

 disease can only be planted, either naturally or artificially, on an abraded surface. 



Treatment. — The treatment consists in bathing the invaded parts with warm water and 

 soft soap, and then applying some ointment to destroy the parasite. Nitrate of silver 

 well rubbed into the comb and wattles has been found of great benefit ; an ointment of 

 5 per cent, of the nitrate of silver in lard may be used for this purpose. Red oxide of 

 mercury one part, to lard eight parts, has proved an excellent remedy if used for several 

 days. 



In any case, it is most essential to well foment the diseased parts previously to applying 

 the ointment, and to remove as far as possible all the favic crusts with a blunt iinife. 

 One cannot be too careful in examining a fresh bird before turning it into the run, which, 

 needless to say, should not be done if any signs of " favus " are noticed upon it. 



Should the disease appear, the bird should be at once isolated and treated, as when 

 the parasite reaches the feathered tracts it is so much more ilifficult to eradicate. 



Feather Eating. — This is one of the most annoying afflictions of the poultry 

 yard, particularly to those who are obliged to keep their fowls in confined 

 spaces; indeed, it rarely occurs in flocks that have a free range. 



