^■^ DISEASES OF POULTRY. 



u^orthy o: tlK- ,n„.i caictul sUuly and attention. About 

 «2() million ,1,,/cn.s of ego^s were returned in the census 

 of 189(., with n.) account of dressed poultry, feathers 

 .S:c. Xothin- relating to such an industry is beneath 

 the talents or dignity of the most learned and able per- 

 sons ,n the land. It is only the thoughless and igno- 

 rant wlio speak slightingly of the " chicken business," 

 or who consider it inferior to any other occupation. ' 



HK.VLTH AM) DISEASE. 



The success of poultry raising depends upon the 

 ability of those engaged in this industry to keep thtir 

 l)irds thriving, vigorous, and free from disease. From 

 an economical point of view birds are machines which 

 consume certain kinds of raw material and produce eggs 

 and meat. They .should be kept in such a condition 

 that they can most profitably work this transformation 

 One of the most serious obstacles to profitable poultry 

 keeping is the effect of diseases in arresting the pro- 

 ductive activity of the flock and in decimating its 

 numbers. More failures in the poultry business are 

 traceable to disease than to any other cause. A knowl - 

 edge of the nature, prevention, and curaf.ve treatment 

 of the more common diseases of fowls is, therefore 

 essential to success in this industry; and a treatise on 

 this subject for ready reference must necessarily be one 

 of the most useful articles in the poultryman's outfit 

 ihe.se diseases are treated with considerable detail in 

 this volume, but before entering upon the study of the 

 individual diseases, it will be of great a.ssi.stance to -et 

 a clear idea of what constitutes disease, how it is caus'ed 

 and upon what principles it may be prevented and 

 cured . 



We say a bird is in good health when it api)ears 



