CHAPTER XX. 



Poultry Surgery. 



It is proposed to consider in this section those pathological 

 conditions of poultry which demand surgical treatment lor their 

 cure. At the outstart it should be said inat poultry bear and 

 recover from surgical operations very well. The common prac- 

 tice of caponizing, usually done without any aseptic precaution 

 whatever and with small losses from infection, is sufficient evi- 

 dence of this. Probably no mammal would bear opening the 

 abdominal cavity (which is done is every caponizing operation) 

 with such entire and nearly uniform freedom from ill effects as 

 attends this operation with poultry. The reason why poultry 

 make such excellent surgical subjects lies in their marked 

 resistance to all pyogenic (pus producing) germs. 



77/ 1' Treatment of Cuts, Tears and .111 Open Wounds. 



\'ery severe wounds may be successfully treated l)y adher- 

 ing to the following procedure : 



1. Thoroughly wash the hands in warm water, using plenty 

 of soap, before handling the wounds at all. After the hands 

 have been well scrublted. rinse them thoroughly in a pan of I 

 to looo bichloride of mercury solution (p. 29) and dry with 

 a clean towel. 



2. Tul] out the feathcr> in the region ai'ouiid llie wound, and 

 thoroughly elean-e it, using first ^earin leater. and folJDW tin's 

 with -cearin i to woo hiehloride solution. A ])iece of clean soft 

 cloth ma}- be used for this purpose, or absorljcnt cotton. Make 

 sure that tlie wound is tlioroiiglily clean. Do not be afraid of 

 hurtin'4 the liird. .\ little jiain at tlie start i> jireferable to a 

 dead liird later. 



3. if necessary sew up the wound, u>ing a good sized sewing 

 needle and silk. IJoth needle and silk should be soaked in al- 

 coliol tor 15 minutes before using. Small wounds need not be 

 sewed. Large ones will heal much (|uirker an 1 more certainly 

 if tliev arc sewed. If ilie wound involves tlie muscles as well 



