502 HANDY-BOOK OF HUSBANDRY. 



ment of the more important diseases is given in Saunders' Domes- 

 tic Poultry ^^' I can hardly do better within my narrow limits than to 

 copy it entire : — 



" Among the diseases of fowls, nothing is so fatal to the bird, 

 " or so vexatious to the fancier, as the Roup. Very close ob- 

 " servation and experience have taught me the first premonitory 

 " symptom is a peculiar breathing. The fowl appears in perfect 

 " health for the time, but it will be seen that the skin hanging 

 " from the lower beak, and to which the wattle is attached, is 

 " inflated and emptied at every breath — such a bird should always 

 " be removed. 



" The disease may be caused, first, by cold, damp weather and 

 " easterly winds, when fowls of weakly habit and bad constitution 

 " will often sicken, but healthy, strong birds will not. Again, if 

 " by any accidental cause they are long without food and water, 

 "and then have an unlimited quantity of drink and whole corn 

 " given to them, they gorge themselves, and ill-health is the con- 

 " sequence ; but confinement is the chief cause, and above all, 

 "being shut up in tainted coops. Nothing is so difficult as to 

 " keep fowls healthy in confinement in large cities ; two days 

 " will often suffice to change the bright, bold cock into the spirit- 

 " less, drooping, roupy fowl, carrying contagion wherever he goes. 



" But all roup does not come from cities ; often in the spring 

 " of the year the cocks fight, and it is necessary to take one 

 "away; search is made for something to put him in, and a rab- 

 " bit-hutch or open basket is found, wherein he is confined and 

 *' often irregularly supplied with food, till pity for his altered 

 " condition causes him to be let out ; but he has become roupy, 

 " and the whole yard suffers. I dwell at length on this, because 

 "of all disorders it is the worst, and because, although a cure may 

 "seem to be effected, yet at moulting, or any time when out of 

 " condition, the fowl will be more or less affected with it again. 

 " One thing is here deserving of notice. The result of the atten- 

 " tion paid to poultry of late years has been to improve the health 

 *'and constitution of the birds. Roup is not nearly so common 



* New York : O. Judd & Co. 1867. 



