MANUAL ON POULTRY. 48 



THE PIP. 



Writers generally ridicule the idea of classing pip as a disease. 



Mr. Wright says : " Pip is no dif ease and demands not reatment, 

 being only analogous to a ' foul tongue ' in human beings. Cure 

 the roup, or bad digestion, or whatever else may be the real evil, 

 and the thickening of the tongue will disappear too." 



Whether it be classed as a disease or not, it has its well-defined 

 symptoms, and whatever be the cause the remedy is simple and 

 effectual. 



The tongue becomes coated over with a horny substance which 

 so stiffens that organ as to prevent its use in taking food. If not 

 attended to promptly the fowl gradually declines until starvation 

 terminates its existence. 



Remove the coating from the tongue and the bird at once returns 

 to its food and recovery is rapid. Few practical poultry raisers 

 have not had experience with the removal of this horny substance 

 from the tongues witii perfectly satisfactory results, the bird re- 

 turning promptly to its food and rapidly regaining health and 

 strength after the removal of the " pip." 



Those who wish to follow Dr. Salmon through the details of his 

 investigation of fowl cholera will find his reports in the United States 

 Department of Agriculture, reports for 1880 and 1881-2. 



As before remarked, the safest policy in nearly every instance is 

 to kill the diseased birds rather than attempt treating them, devot- 

 ing at the same time the utmost energy to the protection of the re- 

 mainder of the flock by the use of disinfectants and by a thorough 

 renovation of their quarters. 



If proper attention is given to cleanliness, feeding and the use of 

 disinfectants, there need be no disease among fowls, and there should 

 le none. 



