196 DISEASES OI" POULTRY. 



hatched chickens than among those raised earl 3' in the 

 season. The development and spread of the con- 

 tagion is influenced, therefore, by the condition of the 

 poultry -houses, by the season of the year, and to a 

 certain extent by the weather. 



Treatment. — The prophylactic or preventive 

 treatment consists in excluding affected birds from 

 the premises; in keeping the poultry -houses and pig- 

 eon-cotes clean and dry ; and in hatching the chickens 

 early on farms where the disease is troublesome. Dis- 

 infection by whitewashing the houses, or spraying 

 them thoroughly with a solution containing three to 

 five per cent of carbolic acid and then opening them 

 for the drying action of the sun and air is a val- 

 uable means of guarding against an outbreak of the 

 disease. 



The curative treatment consists of the local appli- 

 cation of those remedies which have been found 

 efficient for the destruction of the parasitic blastomj-- 

 cetes. Some persons have been successful b}' feeding 

 sulphur, and at the same time, applying sulphur oint- 

 ment twice a daj^ to the nodules. Others have cured 

 the affected birds by applying carbolic ointment, or 

 glycerine containing two per cent of carbolic acid. 

 Another treatment is to bathe the affected parts with 

 soap and water in order to soften the crusts, and after- 

 wards apply a solution of sulphate of copper (blue- 

 stone), a dram to /2 pint of water. Sulphate of 

 copper has been found destructive to many kinds of 

 fungi, and, therefore, is promising in this disease. 

 Tincture of iodine has also been recommended, both 

 by itself and mixed with 10 per cent of car])olic acid, 

 but this remedy is rather severe and should onlj' be 



