266 THE POULTRY-BOOK. 



II. INFLAMMATION. 



Inflammation may be described, for all practical purposes, 

 as consisting in increased arterial action of the parts immedi- 

 ately surrounding points of stagnation, and it may occur indif- 

 ferently in the external or internal parts. Inflammation of the 

 lungs has been already considered, and various parts of the fowl 

 are liable to similar affections. But most of these are of small 

 consequence. The most serious is an inflammation of the 

 eyes. When this occurs, small abscesses are formed on the 

 cornea, which are filled with a white-colored pus. In an 

 aggravated form, the whole of the eye becomes inflamed, the 

 eye-lids swell to a great extent, and a coagulable albuminous 

 matter, like the white of an egg, accumulates beneath the 

 swelling. This affection sometimes results in blindness, and 

 is sometimes fatal. 



This disorder is originated by the vapors arising from close 

 confinement, when over care is exercised to shield the fowls 

 from the effects of cold ; and it is produced likewise by 

 exposure, and particularly to moist cold. 



Treatment and Remedy. Like other cases of inflammatory 

 Attacks, relief is to be sought in a suitable temperature being 

 maintained where fowls are kept. A little aperient medicine 

 will be beneficial, and applications of warm suds, made from 

 castile soap, in case of abscess, or great swelling of the inflamed 

 part 



III. RHEUMATISM. 



M. Flourens states cases of acute rheumatism and sciatica as 

 occurring among fowls under his own observation. Dickson 

 says that he has seen rheumatic affections among his fowls 

 " even at midsummer, after much wet, and more than once 

 as a consequence of plunging them in water for the hatching 

 fever." After much exposure, especially in long-continued 



