DOGS, CATS AND POULTRY 



573 



portion of the intestines are two small sacs, or blind bowels. 

 The rectum is much di- 

 lated near the anus and 

 into this opens canals or 

 tubes from the liver and 

 egg sac. 



2. Cholera. 



Causes. — Cholera i s 

 very contagious. The 

 cause is over-crowding ; 

 bad sanitary management, 

 unwholesome or irregular 

 food, etc. Chicken 

 cholera is not very well 

 understood by poultry 

 raisers, and we believe 

 it is a fact that a great 

 many diseases are called 

 cholera simply because 



not understood. Everyone who keeps fowls should be able 

 to tell cholera from other diseases, for without such knowl- 

 edge it is impossible to treat it properly. 



Symptoms. — The fowl has a very sleepy, droopy ap- 

 pearance ; it is very thirsty and has a slow gait and gapes 

 often. Sometimes the fowl staggers and falls down from 

 great weakness. The comb and wattles lose their natural 

 color, generally turning pale and sometimes dark. There is 

 diarrhoea with a greenish discharge, or like sulphur and 

 water. The crop fills with mucus and wind, and at last the 

 food. is not digested. Breathing is heavy and fast, the eyes 

 close, and in a few hours the fowl dies. 



Fig. 110. A Barred Plymouth Kock Hen- 

 Sketch from Life. 



Treatment. — The first thing to be done when cholera 

 makes its appearance is to give the coops and yards a thor- 

 ough renovating. Disinfect with carbolic acid, 40 drops to 

 the pint of water. Remove all affected fowls and burn the 

 carcasses of dead ones. The best and most effective remedy 

 for cholera that we have ever used is coal oil or kerosene. 

 The coal oil should be given about four times a week, as 

 follows: Take a feeding of corn and wheat and let it soak- 

 in the oil a few hours, and then feed to the fowls, or mix irt 



