DISEASES AFFECTING VARIOUS ORGANS. 69 



Open the skin with a needle or small shears, to allow 

 the escape of gas. 



RHEUMATISM. 



Acute rheumatism is a constitutional disease, excited 

 by dampness and cold. 



Symptoms: There may be some fever; bowels are 

 usually constipated; there is pain shown by spasmodic 

 jerking of the legs, and often the fowl is unable to 

 walk; some of the joints are swollen and, usually, the 

 swelling and pain shift from one joint to another; this 

 is one of the most reliable symptoms. In severe cases 

 the enlarged joints will ulcerate, or become hard. 



Treatment: Remove the cause by placing the bird 

 in a warm, dry room; give twenty grains of Epsom 

 salts in a tablespoonful of warm water; follow in a 

 few hours by giving one grain of quinine and two 

 grains of salicylate of soda, four times a day. 



Apply equal parts of oil of wintergreen and soap 

 liniment to the swollen joints once or twice a day. 



LEG WEAKNESS. 



The trouble among fowls which is known as leg 

 weakness is only a symptom of som3 other condition, 

 but, because it is such a familiar term and occurs so 

 frequently, it is necessary to give it space. 



Causes: In young chicks it may be due to confine- 

 ment on board floors or in damp coops, or it may be 

 the result of improperly heated brooders, bottom heat 

 being especially bad. 



