332 



THE RURAL EFFICIENCY GUIDE STOCK 



Apoplexy. 



This disease is usually caused by the rupture of a blood vessel brought 

 about by too high feeding, sudden fright, violent exertion or straining in laying 

 eggs. Birds are sometimes found dead in the nest. 



Treatment. There is usually no previous warning or symptoms and in 

 most cases treatment is impossible. 



If the bird is still alive, pierce a vein underneath the wing causing the blood 

 to run freely and reducing the blood pressure on the brain. In this way one 

 will usually produce a cure. 



Regulate the diet to reduce the fat and give plenty of exercise. 



Aspergillosis. 



This is a disease which exists more often than is expected. It attacks the 

 respiratory or digestive organs of fowls. In adults, the disease may be mis- 

 taken for tuberculosis and in chicks for white diarrhea. Aspergillosis of 

 chickens is dealt with under brooder pneumonia. 



A fungoid growth in the wind pipe and bronchial tubes, sometimes ex- 

 tending to the lungs and liver. Infection may be due to musty hay, straw or 

 grain. 



Symptoms. Fowls gradually lose weight, mope and die without any 

 pronounced ailment except difficulty in breathing and extreme weakness. 



Preventive Treatment. This is a most difficult disease to cure. It can 

 be prevented by feeding no musty grain and giving only clean, bright chaff or 

 straw to scratch in. 



Sometimes affected fowls may be saved by applying flowers of sulphur or 

 tincture of iodine to the patches seen in the mouth and throat and causing the 

 birds to inhale the vapor of tar water or turpentine. Tar water is obtained by 

 adding two tablespoonfuls of wood tar to a quart of warm water and letting 

 the mixture stand a few hours. Then the birds are taken into a closed room 

 where the tar water is poured, a small quantity at a time on a hot brick or stone 

 until the atmosphere is charged with the vapor. 



Brooder Pneumonia. 



This is an inflammation of the lungs caused by the growth of the aspergillus 

 fungus in the smaller air tubes and in the lung tissue. 



Symptoms. The symptoms are very similar to those described in white 

 diarrhea and the disease may be easily mistaken for the same. However, the 

 breathing is more rapid and difficult and is sometimes accompanied by sounds 

 due to obstruction of the air tubes. The white diarrhea is usually present in 

 the lung disease as well as in the intestinal infection. 



Treatment. The sick chicks can seldom be cured and so all efforts should 

 be directed toward prevention. The measures mentioned for the prevention of 

 white diarrhea are applicable to brooder pneumonia. It is probable this disease is 



