342 SANITARY ENTOMOLOGY 



When comparatively few fowls are to be treated or if chicks or un- 

 healthy individuals are concerned, it is advisable to follow what we term 

 the pinch method of application. For grown fowls about twelve pinches 

 of the powder are placed on different regions of the bird at the base of 

 the feathers and distributed as follows : One pinch on the head, one on 

 the neck, one on the throat, two on the back, one on the breast, one 

 below the vent, one on the tail, one on either thigh, and one scattered on 

 the under side of each wing when spread. With young chickens usually 

 one pinch is sufficient, this being distributed on the head, neck, along 

 the throat and on the back. A few people have reported loss of 3^oung 

 chicks through the application of the powder to them at night. We are 

 therefore recommending that the treatment be done during the early part 

 of the day while the chicks are active. This gives opportunity for excess 

 dust to be shaken off before roosting time. Another precaution is to 

 apply the treatment where the dust will not have opportunity to get into 

 the food or water. As the dust is very irritating to the nose and throat 

 it is advisable to wear a dust guard or a moistened cloth tied over the nose 

 and mouth when applying it. 



By the dry method one pound is sufficient to treat 100 grown fowls 

 and they can be gone over at the rate of about one to every two or three 

 minutes, with one man working. 



In following the dipping method, the sodium fluoride is dissolved 

 in water at the rate of one ounce or three level tablespoons to each gallon. 

 A tub is well filled with this solution which should be tepid (70° to 80° F.) 

 but not warm, and the fowl, held by grasping the base of the wings 

 over the back, is lowered quickly into the water. With the other hand 

 the feathers are ruffled so as to allow the liquid to penetrate to the skin. 

 The head is then ducked, lightly rubbed to induce penetration and the 

 fowl released. By this method the danger of not treating all portions 

 of a fowl is practically eliminated, the time of treatment is reduced to 

 about three-fourths minute per fowl and the amount of material also 

 markedly reduced. The irritating effect of the dust on the operator is 

 also avoided. 



It is of course necessary to chose a warm day so that the feathers 

 will dry quickly. It should be stated, however, that the plumage is not 

 thoroughly wet as would be the case with most dips. The feathers be- 

 come completely dry in a couple of hours. There is absolutely no stain- 

 ing or injury to the feathers, no tainting of flesh and no skin irritation 

 produced either by the dipping or dusting methods. As the material is 

 corrosive it is inadvisable for one doing the dipping to subject lesions on 

 the hands to the liquid and the utensils used should be emptied imme- 

 diately after completing the work. 



Since one application will completely destroy all forms of lice on a 



