506 DISEASES, PARASITES, AND ENEMIES 



down the throat and then the crop is manipulated until the soft- 

 ened mass is caused to move on properly. 



Epsom Salts (Magnesium Sulfate). — It is one of the cheapest 

 and most useful of all drugs. It is especially useful in liver trt)uble 

 and diarrhoea. Half a teaspoonful for a full-gro\\'n fowl is a stand- 

 ard close. It can be fed by mixing in soft feed; but a much more 

 effective plan is to allow the bird to go without feed for a few 

 hours and then dissolve the salts in warm water and pour dowTi 

 the bird's throat. 



Cottonseed oil and olive oil are useful when hens are egg bound, 

 for diarrhoea, and for external and internal use in dressing sores, 

 torn flesh, and bound crop. 



Bichloride of Mercury. — A 1 to 1,000 bichloride solution is a 

 germicide and disinfectant for external use, cleansing wounds and 

 preventing infection. It is highly poisonous, and to prevent it 

 being mistaken for water it is well to color it with laundry blue 

 for identification. One can mix the solution by purchasing the 

 standard bichloride of mercury tablets, or, better yet, have the 

 druggist make a standard solution. 



Medicines in Tablet Form. — It is often desirable, because much 

 more convenient and easily administered, to have the medicines 

 in compact tablet form. Wholesale drug houses carry complete 

 lines of such tablets graded according to dosage. They are 

 administered very easily by holding the bird's mouth open with 

 one hand and with the other thrusting the tablet far back into 

 the bird's mouth so that it is swallowed. The following four drugs 

 in this form are useful : 



Salicylic acid, two and one-half grains, for use in cases of rheu- 

 matism. 



Aconite Root, one-tenth grain, for use in fevers. 



Bismuth subnitrate, one grain, for intestinal irritation. 



Iron, quinine, and strychnine tablets, for use as a tonic. Dose, 

 3 per day. 



Antiseptic Ointment. — The following ointment may be made 

 by the poultryman and will always be found useful in treating 

 cuts, sores, and wounds of all kinds : 



Oil of origanum 1 ounce 



Cresol U ounce 



Pine tar 1 ounce 



Resin 1 ounce 



Clean axle grease (or vaseline) , 8 ounces 



