CROUP 



CROW 



587 



formation of 11 false membrane or fibrinous deposit 

 on the mucous surface of the windpipe. Tin- in- 

 !i of ili disease res.-mliles Iliat of simple 

 Catarrh (q.v.), ami may be very insidious. 'Ihe 

 child in languid, feverish. an<l thirsty, and a dry, 

 shrill cough is gradually developed, but these 

 symptoms sooner or later give way to those of the 

 second stage. Here the respiration heroines dilli- 

 rnlt, the drawing of each breath having a hissing 

 and 'cronpy ' sound : the voice is almost inaudible 

 or greatly modified, and accompanied by a har-h, 

 brassy, or may 1- stilled cough ; the face is red and 

 swollen, and covered with sweat; and the nostrils 

 are rapidly working. If the little patient is not 

 relieved bv coughing or vomiting up some mem- 

 braneous shreds and glairy mucus, a state of greater 

 dv-pmea ensues; the lips become livid and the 

 nails lilne; the fever is higher, the pulse quicker 

 but weaker; and the child's efforts to relieve the 

 increasing obstruction to the breathing are most 

 distressing to witness. A period of extreme rest- 

 lessness and suffering is (unless relieved by imme- 

 diate treatment see below) soon followed by death 

 from increasing coma, syncope, or exhaustion. 



Croup seems to be caused uy a damp atmosphere 

 of low temperature, and is got in exposed situations. 

 It is most frequently met with between the years 

 of two and ten, although all ages and classes are 

 liable to sutler from it. It is commoner in boys 

 than girls. Croup requires to be distinguished 

 from simple catarrh of the windpipe; from so-called 

 false croup, a spasmodic affection of the larynx 

 the Laryngismus Stridulus of Dr Mason Good ; and 

 from Diphtheria (q.v.), an infectious disease in 

 which a false membrane is usually found on the 

 pharynx or palate, as well as in the larynx. As 

 croup is an acute and very fatal disease, the treat- 

 ment requires to be active and decided. If the 

 case is seen early, apply an ice-bag to the throat 

 and give ice to suck, out if you suspect the pres- 

 ence of false membrane, give a full dose or an 

 emetic, such as ipecacuanha, sulphate of copper, 

 or sulphate of zinc, which should be repeated in 

 three or four hours if necessary and effectual in 

 relieving the breathing. The child should at in- 

 tervals be placed in the hot bath, and inhalations 

 of steam or medicated vapours administered. An 

 inhalation of lactic acid is often of great use in the 

 first stage. If these means fail, Tracheotomy (q.v.) 

 must be at once resorted to, to save the life of the 

 patient, as recommended by Trousseau. 



Crow (Corviis), a genus of Passerine birds, and 

 type of a family Corvidne, which also includes Mag- 

 pies ( Pica), Nutcrackers (Nucifraga), Jays ( Garni - 

 lus), Choughs (Fregilus), and other genera. The 

 crow family is included in that division of Passeres 

 known as Acromyodi, from peculiarities in the 

 vocal organs, and its members share the following 

 characters : the bill is moderately long, strong and 

 thick ; bristles at the base cover the nostrils ; the 

 wings are of medium size and rounded ; the tail is 

 not prominent ; the feet are strong. On the whole 

 they outdo the other Passeres in size and strength, 

 and are represented by towards- two hundred 

 species. 



Keeping first to the crow genus proper (Corvus), 

 we need give little description of the general 

 characters of these familiar birds. The long black 

 bill, the large gape, the tail all but covered by the 

 wings, the black feet, &c. are well-known charac- 

 teristics. The genus is distributed in most parts of 

 the world except South America and New Zealand. 

 They are essentially tree birds, and almost always 

 build their nests there. In diet they are pre- 

 dominantly vegetarian. It is important to dis- 

 tinguish the four British species of crow. ( 1 ) The 

 Raven (Ctirms corax) is a well-known species in 

 Europe and North Asia. Its black plumage has a 



bluish sheen ; the upper ]>ortion of the bill i bent 

 over the lower ; the wings reach the point of the 

 tail. It is a hungry bird, devouring inter alia field- 

 mice and small bird's ; it is not unfrequently tamed, 

 and can lie readily taught to ejaculate and play 

 tricks. See KAVEN. 



(2) The Hook (C. fnigilegus) is a commoner 

 smaller species of gregarious habit. There in the 

 same metallic shimmer, the wings again reach the 

 tail, but the upper bill is not elongated over the 

 lower. The face becomes curiously bare during 

 the first winter, and so remains. It it* of use in 

 destroying injurious insects, but its omnivorous 

 appetite includes eggs, young birds, fish, walnuts, 

 corn, &c. See KOOK. The accompanying figure 



shows the heads of the raven, A, and the rook, B, 

 and illustrates well the prevalent characters of the 

 bill in this genus. It shows also in the raven the 

 bristles which, as in most of the species, surround 

 its base, but which are wanting in the rook. 

 Noteworthy, too, is the greater strength of neck, 

 head, and bill of the more carnivorous as compared 

 with the more frugivorous species. 



(3) The Hooded Crow ( C. cornix) derives its name 

 from the fact that while the general colour is ashen 

 gray, the head is black. Ihe under throat, the 

 wings, and the tail are also, however, black. 

 Like the next species, the hooded crow is fond of 

 carrion, and l>oth are often shot by gamekeepers 

 on account of the damage they do to young 

 game-birds, &c. 



(4) The Carrion Crow (C. corone, or Corone 

 hiemalis), which is of the same size as the rook, 

 has black plumage, with a steel-blue shimmer on 

 back and bead, and wings which do not reach the 

 tip of the tail. The bases of the feathers are gray 

 in the rook, white in the carrion crow. It is useful 

 in destroying mice and insects. It is said to inter- 

 breed with the preceding species. The name is 

 given in America to a Vulture (q.v.). In some 

 parts of Scotland the carrion crow is called the 

 Hnndif. There is considerable dispute as to the 

 specific dignity of some of the crows. A few other 

 forms in addition to the above four may l>e noticed. 

 The crow of North America ( ( '. mn> rinnnts) is very 

 similar to the carrion crow, but rather smaller, 

 and, after the breeding season is over, congregates 

 into great flocks; it is also partially migratory, 

 great numbers from the more northerly parts mov- 

 ing to the south on the approach of winter. Its 

 habits are otherwise intermediate between those of 

 the carrion crow and the rook. The Fish Crow 

 (C. ossifratfits) frequents the coasts and southern 

 rivers of the United States, feeding chiefly on 

 fish, which it catches with great dexterity. It 

 also sometimes assails gulls, and compels them 

 to disgorge their prey. The Jabbering Crow 



of the Blue Mountains of Jamaica 



