96 MRS. BASLEY'S WESTERN POULTRY BOOK 



their wings and the discharge sticks to and dries on their feathers. 

 This dried mucus will spread the disease through the flock, for in it 

 are the germs of the disease, the seeds of which may be sown when- 

 ever the chicken moves or shakes itself, or when others touch it or 

 a feather falls. Chickens with this disease should be isolated, the 

 mucus gently washed off, using a disinfectant in the water, a few 

 drops of carbolic acid or a tablet of protiodide of mercury in a pint 

 of water. Roupy catarrh is difficult of cure, is very infectious and 

 often fatal. 



Diphtheric Roup 



Diphtheric roup is the worst of all. It requires different reme- 

 dies to the simple catarrh or roupy catarrh. It commences usually 

 in the same manner with a slight cold, but the mucus membrane of 

 the mouth, throat, nasal passages, and the eyes are affected. False 

 membrane forms on these parts, very much resembling in appear- 

 ance the diphtheria of children, and by some thought to be the 

 same. At first the patches are small and scattered but have a tend- 

 ency to run together. The disease appears suddenly, the fowl is 

 feverish, dumpish and disinclined to eat. As the disease progresses 

 the mouth and throat become filled with false membrane and 

 mucus until the fowl dies of suffocation, or the poison from the 

 disease gets into the circulation and the fowl dies of blood poison- 

 ing or paralysis. 



Canker 



Canker is sometimes confounded with diphtheria. It is an ulcer- 

 ative disease of the mouth. It is frequently found in cock birds after 

 fighting and is common in birds that have been working in mouldy 

 or musty litter or that have been fed on spoiled grain. The disease 

 is seldom noticed until the fowl shows a collection of yellowish 

 ulcers or cheesy growth on the roof of the mouth, the side of the 

 tongue or the angles of the jaws, and sometimes at the opening of 

 the windpipe. It is very common among pigeons. 



Roup cures can be bought at the principal poultry supply houses, 

 but for the use of those living in the country too far away to pro- 

 cure these, I will give a few simple remedies that can be easily and 

 quickly used in the first stages, thus arresting an epidemic. For 

 local treatment a good atomizer is the most satisfactory way of ap- 

 plying it, or a small syringe, and as handy as anything is a small 

 sewing machine oil can. 



Remedies 



(1) When first the cold is noticed, put a bit of Bluestone (sul- 

 phate of copper) in the drinking water. A piece as big as a navy 

 bean in a quart of water, not any stronger. This is a germ killer, 

 dries up the cold in the head, is a disinfectant and will prevent the 

 other chickens taking the disease. So if any chick takes cold, put 

 this into the water of the whole flock for a week to prevent the 

 disease spreading. 



(2) For a Common Cold : A pill of quinine and one of asafoetida 

 (1 gr. of each), with half a teaspoonful of cayenne pepper will fre- 

 quently cure a cold in one night. Aconite also is a good remedy. 



