DISEASES AND THEIR CURE. 109 



sulphur (IY Z - of each), for the application, in a semi- 

 fluid condition, to the heads of young poults attacked 

 with lice. The clearing off of these lice has, it is 

 believed by some, often warded off an impending 

 attack of the gapes. The first symptoms of roup 

 besides the discharge is a laboured breathing on the 

 part of the chick, the skin below the lower bill being 

 inflated and emptied at every respiration. 



Vent binding is a very common malady, easily dis- 

 covered, and easily cured by a careful keeper. The 

 vent feathers should be carefully cut off, and the parts 

 treated with sweet oil. This, as before mentioned, is 

 also the first process to be adopted when diarrhoea is 

 discovered. If one or two cases of either of these 

 diseases should be observed, carefully examine all 

 the rest, with a view to discovery of others affected ; 

 for, when once they begin, these ailments are not 

 unlikely to run all through the whole troupe ; as is 

 also an attack of ophthalmia in the young poults, or 

 epidemic inflammation of the eyes, which is a nasty 

 business, the eyelids becoming glued together, and 

 the birds being unable to run about, and to discover 

 and pick up their food. The treatment is simple 

 enough the dropping into the eye of a weak solution 

 of zinc and distilled water; or, in more obstinate 

 cases, a few drops of a lotion formed of nitrate of 

 silver say, three grains to the ounce of distilled or 

 rain water will, provided you can catch your birds 

 easily, and, as aforesaid, be certain of returning them 



