DISEASES. 143 



it should be ascribed to the after-effects of eating 

 some poisonous herb. The bird knocks its legs to- 

 gether in walking ; and as it grows, and its body gets 

 heavier, the disease gets worse, and the bird eventually 

 loses the power of walking, and dies. 



A bird will often be found to be wasting away, to 

 have little appetite, and, if neglected, it will die. A 

 dose of three drachms of sulphate of iron daily, with as 

 much food as the bird can be tempted to eat, will 

 generally work a cure ; but the best thing of all we 

 have found are the Ostrich Condition Powders sold by 

 Mr. Wells, chemist, Grahamstown. The Horse Con- 

 dition Powders prepared by Messrs. Lennon and Co., 

 Port Elizabeth, are also very good ; one to be given 

 daily for two or three weeks. 



Dropsy of the " abdominal cavity" (the belly), and 

 of the " pericardium " (the sac in which the heart 

 hangs), is common in the Ostrich, but in every case we 

 have examined we have found it to be a secondary 

 symptom, resulting either from worms, constipation, or 

 fever, &c. ; and the treatment must be aimed at 

 removing the cause, at the same time stimulating the 

 kidneys. 



Above all, the farmer should bear in mind that 

 "Prevention is better than cure;" that the adminis- 

 tering of medicine to animals is always more or less 



