88 THE REARING AND , 



behind box edgings, but they have all subsequently died from 

 their night's exposure. If these points of mismanagement are 

 carefully avoided, the malady will rarely make its appearance. 

 Some cruel French experiments are on record, in which Chickens 

 were purposely brought to an incurable state of inflammation, 

 by subjecting them to these baneful influences. 



In some cases the presence of parasitic worms in the air- 

 passages is a further aggravation of the inflammatory symptoms. 

 In the elaborate article on Bronchitis in the " Penny Cyclo- 

 paedia," a figure is given of one of these annoying creatures. 

 It is stated that in quadrupeds the bronchial tubes, and the 

 windpipe, and often the larynx and the fauces, are filled with 

 small worms, forming a kind of coat mixed with the mucus, 

 or connected together in knots of various sizes. The disease 

 is said to be either produced, or much aggravated, by the 

 presence of these worms and the irritation which they pro- 

 duce. No notice, however, is taken of the worms which some- 

 times infest Fowls similarly affected. 



Having never detected any such worms in Chickens that 

 had died of the gapes, and believing that all the apparent 

 symptoms were to be accounted for by inflammation caused 

 by cold and wet, I began to doubt the existence of the para- 

 sites, and stated as much to a gentleman, who replied, "I wish 

 to make you a little less sceptical about the fasciolae. I used 

 to think as you do, that it was merely inflammation, but a 

 little dissection of the trachea soon showed me the worms ad- 

 hering to the inner membrane of the windpipe. I have actually 

 found as many as seven or eight in a single individual. If you 

 wish to be convinced, cut off the neck of the next Chick that 

 dies, the larger the better for investigation, and open the trachea 

 gently with your penknife, and your doubts will be set at rest 

 for ever. You are certainly right so far, that no Chick can 

 be cured that is either very young, or very far gone in the 

 disorder. But if not too young, and taken in time ; the fasciolae 



