CHAPTER 7. 



Diseases Affecting Various Organs. 



Ergot Poison — Anaemia or Impoverished Blood — Tuber- 

 culosis—Bagging Down— Emphysema or Wind Puff- 

 Rheumatism— Leg Weakness — Cramps in Young 

 Fowls— Rickets in Young Chicks— Dropsy of the Feet. 



ERGOT POISON. 



ERGOT is a smut or mold found on grain, espec- 

 ially new, partially spoiled grain. Fowls roving 

 on grain-fields after harvest, during wet seasons, are 

 very subject to ergot poisoning, but it may also be pro- 

 duced by feeding grain which contains smut. , 



Symptoms: Usually there is at first diarrhoea, fol- 

 lowed by dizziness and paralysis or spasms, which may 

 be followed by gangrene of the comb, beak, or feet 

 and toes, which is characterized by these parts becom- 

 ing dry and dead and finally dropping off. In chronic 

 or slow ergot poison the gangrene may come on with- 

 out any previous symptoms, as diarrhoea, etc. 



Treatment: The cause must be removed at once, 

 which, in mild cases, is suflficient. If the diarrhoea con- 



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