HEALTH AND DISEASE OF POULTRY 597 



many of them characterized as specific agents of disease, and there- 

 fore recognized as a definite menace to life; and large numbers of 

 them viewed generally as harmless which yet by excessive multipli- 

 cation induce conditions which become themselves sources of disease. 

 The presence of these microbes in localities where they do not 

 belong, or in excessive numbers even where they do belong, medi- 

 cally speaking, constitute dirt and calls for cleansing. To sum up, 

 cleanliness involves not alone absence of dirt and foreign matter 

 which can be detected by the unaided eye and removed by means 

 of shovel and wheelbarrow, broom and dustpan; it involves also 

 more or less freedom from those myriad microscopic forms the 

 removal of which is accomplished by disinfecting agenta which 

 destroy them. 



SEVEN PRIMARY PRINCIPLES. 



In the working out of this fundamental law of cleanliness 

 seven rules or maxims have been enunciated as furnishing, in 

 a general way, the application of this principle to meet all the re- 

 quirements of a successful poultry industry. These rules are but 

 further divisions of the three general principles previously men- 

 tioned, and may therefore be regarded as the seven primary prin- 

 ciples in the prevention and treatment of disease in poultry. They 

 are as follows, and are expressed in mandatory form, since nature, 

 in her sovereignty over animal life, demands it under penalty of 

 disease and death: (1) Clean out; (2) clean up; (3) clean the 

 water supply; (4) clean the food; (5) clean the eggs; (6) clean 

 the incubators and brooders; (7) clean the breeding. 



The ease with which these maxims can be carried out, and 

 the cheapness of the articles employed for that purpose, combine to 

 give them the maximum of practical value. It is true there are 

 many different medicines with which to "clean out" the intestinal 

 tract; there are a legion of disinfectants with which to "clean up" 

 the soil, and numerous drugs with which to clean the water supply. 

 If, however, the poultryman can become expert in the use of just 

 one good and sufficient substance for the accomplishment of each 

 of these primary principles, he is far better off than if his mind 

 was stored with a whole materia medioa which he has rarely or 

 never tried. Notice how simply these maxims can be carried out : 



Clean out by giving Epsom salt. Clean up by spreading pow- 

 dered air-slaked lime. Clean the water supply by addition of per- 

 manganate of potash. Clean the food by preventing contami- 

 nation or by applying heat. Clean the eggs by dipping in 

 grain alcohol. Clean the incubators and brooders by scrubbing 

 with hot water and good, old-fashioned kitchen soap. Clean the 

 breeding -by using the youngest females consistent with the re- 

 quirements of good breeding. 



METHOD OP APPLICATION. 



Clean Out. This is carried out as a routine hygienic measure 

 by administering Epsom salt to the whole flock once a month from 

 October to March, and twice a month from April to September. 

 For this purpose the salt is 'best given in an evening mash, which, 



