227 



Mix thoroughly and rub the affected parts with this ointment, 

 rubbing in well. In bad cases, this should be repeated in a few days. 

 Ordinary kerosene will stop the work of the parasite, but also de- 

 stroys the color of the leg, and we therefore prefer the above remedy. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE OVIDUCT. 



Symptoms. This is one of the most common diseases of the ovi- 

 duct. Hill (Diseases of Poultry) gives the following symptoms: "A 

 bird affected with inflammation of the egg passage suffers acutely. 

 At Mrst there is a continual and violent straining (sometimes result- 

 ing in apoplexy). The wings are dropped and the feathers puffed 

 out. The vent is usually hot and if a thermometer be inserted the 

 temperature will be found high, frequently one hundred and five to> 

 one hundred and seven degrees. As the inflammation proceeds the 

 bird becomes more and more mopish and exhausted but does not 

 strain so violently, pain and exhaustion acting as preventatives. Ulti- 

 mately the temperature becomes lower, the body cold, and with a few, 

 convulsive gasps the sufferer dies." 



Dr. Pearl, in his book, "Poultry Diseases and Their Treatment, ' y 

 has this to say: "There are probably to be distinguished three classes 

 of causes which lead to inflammation of the oviduct. These are : 



1. Physiological ; from irritation due to too frequent laying or 

 from too stimulating foods or condiments. 



2. Traumatic ; from irritation due to too large eggs, or to the 

 breaking of eggs within the oviduct, or similar causes. 



3. Specific infection; it is probably that alone, or in combina- 

 tion with the causes classed under one and two, a specific infection 

 of the lining membranes of the oviduct may occur. 



"In an inflamed oviduct there very often is a copious sero- 

 fibrinous exudate. This hardens about any foreign body (egg, 

 broken egg, etc.) which may be in the oviduct, and by accretion 

 causes this foreign body to increase in size. This, of course, makes 

 it still more irritating, which in turn provokes further inflammation 

 of the walls of the duct. One sometimes finds relatively enormous 

 masses of material in a diseased oviduct, which have been built up 

 in this way. 



"Treatment. If this disease is to be dealt with at all the treat- 

 ment must be individual, since it is something which will never affect 

 considerable numbers of the flock at the same time. If individual 

 treatment is to be successful it must be begun at a relatively early 

 stage of the disease. Therefore it is important that a bird showing 

 the symptoms which have been described above should be isolated at 

 once, and as a first step in the 1re?ilmcnl inven a purgative does of 

 Epsom salts. All stimulating foods such as meat, green cut bone, 

 linseed meal and similar substances, as well as condiments like con- 

 dition powders, pepper, etc., should be immediately taken away from 

 the bird. A light ration and plenty of green food should be given. 

 Salmon recommends following the purgative with one-half drop of 

 tincture of aconite root three times a day. Equally effective, and 

 much easier to administer, will be found one-tenth grain aconite 

 root tablets." 



