IXPLAMMATIOS^S.] 



fOULTEY. 



[PAEASITES. 



powder jalap, made into a bolus, the size of a 

 filbert or nut. The dose may be repeated 

 twice or thrice every third day. Give a large 

 quilfull of the solution of copaiba every night ; 

 that is, about a teaspoonful. In bad cases, we 

 should give it night and morning, especially to 

 large fowls. When the eyelids are swollen 

 and gummed up, besmear them with an oint- 

 ment, made from half an ounce of spermaceti 

 and five drops of Goulard's extract. If this 

 cannot easily be procured, or is not at band, a 

 little softened tallow from a caudle, spread 

 on the eyelids, greatly prevents their being 

 gummed up. Such is good treatment. Every- 

 body knows that the birds should be kept 

 vrarm and dry; and we cannot too strongly 

 protest against all effluvia and want of atten- 

 tion to cleanliness and ventilation. Let it al- 

 ways be remembered, that when these are not 

 attended to, they are more frequently the 

 cause of vi'hat are usually termed colds, and 

 roupy attacks, than even cold and rain. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE LUNGS 

 Is attended by quick breathing, with a rattle, 

 an audible dulness, disorder of plumage, va- 

 cancy in the eye, and general indisposition. 

 We know of no cure recommended for this 

 disease. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE HEART. 

 A fatal disease among poultry, and only de- 

 tected by examination after death. The patient 

 appears to droop; refuses to eat, retires to roost, 

 and is found dead in the morning. In this 

 case, the peritoneal membrane exhibits indica- 

 tions of active inflammation. This complaint 

 is more peculiar to parrots, and caged birds of 

 that description. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE MUCOUS 



MEMBRANE. 



This generally proceeds from aggravated 



diarrhcea. Damp and improper food is the 



cause of the disease. The remedy, to be sue- 



cesaful, must be administered early! First, give 



Q small quantity of castor- oil ; alterwards,' give 



doses oZhydrargyriim mm creta {Land. Pharma- 



co;;a?/«), with rhubarb and laudanum, as follows: 



—Ilydr. cum creta, three grains ; rhubarb, two 



or three grains ; laudanum, two, three, or four 



S82 



drops ; mixed in a teaspoonful of gruel and 

 given twice a-day. 



MOULTING. 

 Moulting- ean hardly be called a disease, 

 but, as it takes place annually in birds, and is 

 very dangerous to young chickens, it is neces- 

 sary to notice it. With full-grown fowls, 

 warmth and shelter from the inclemency of the 

 weather, are usually sufficient to preserve then, 

 from any evil consequences, if fed with an extra 

 degree of nutritive and stimulating food. 

 This treatment is recommended, from the fact 

 of Nature causing the wild birds to moult at 

 the very season when they have food in great- 

 est plenty ; which may be safely taken as a sign 

 that good food is necessary to them at this 

 time. After the third year, the time of moult- 

 ing becomes later and later ; and in proportion 

 as this happens, so the degree of warmth 

 should be supplied. Two or three grains of 

 Cayenne made into a pill, with bread, may 

 be given them. Sometimes the feathers will 

 fall off fowls when they are not moulting, 

 which is caused by a cutaneous aflectiou simi- 

 lar to the mange in dogs. The treatment for 

 this disease is such as we have recommended 

 for animals so aflected, in the preceding divi- 

 sions of this work : and which are alteratives ; 

 such as sulphur and nitre, in the proportions 

 of one quarter each, mixed with fresh butter ; a 

 change of diet, cleanliness, and fresh air in ad- 

 dition to this, will generally be found suffi- 

 cient to effect the cure. Care should be taken 

 not to confound this infection with moulting. 

 The distinction is, that in the latter case, the 

 feathers are replaced by new ones as fast as 

 they are east ; in the former, this is not so, and 

 the animal becomes bald. 



PARASITES IN FOWLS. 

 The insects which infest poultry are particu- 

 larly obnoxious, and the utmost possible clean- 

 liness, and frequent lime-washing and fumiga- 

 tion, are necessary to keep them away. Mr. 

 Eichardson says, that *' a correspondent of the 

 Agricultural Gazette, had a beautiful brood of 

 black Spanish chickens hatched. Taking one 

 in his hand on the second day, be was much 

 struck by observing on his poll five or six full- 

 sized lice {Goniocotes liolog aster'), evidently 

 caught from the mother. All the brood wore 



