DISEASES OF POULTRY. 



193 



CHAPTER XL 



DISEASES OF POULTRY. 



IN this climate the diseases of our poultry 

 are few in number, and are generally controlled 

 by proper treatment. On this point, it is said, 

 with truth too, that " prevention is better than 

 cure ;" and when the former can not be alto- 

 gether secured, the latter must be attended to 

 immediately, or all attempts at a cure will prove 

 fruitless. Although poultry are no less liable 

 to disorders than cattle or other tame animals, 

 but very little attention has been paid to them, 

 owing, no doubt, to the small value of individ- 

 ual fowls compared with sheep or horses ; and 

 it is frequently most economical to kill them at 

 once. These disorders, however, though few 

 in number, are far from being devoid of inter- 

 est, not only as sometimes leading to correct 

 views of the diseases of other animals, but so 

 far as the saving of even a few shillings, by 

 curing them when that is possible, or of render- 

 ing their eggs or flesh more wholesome and pal- 

 atable, as well as the humane motive of add- 

 ing comfort to the creatures intrusted to our 

 care. 



When disease seizes an individual, it should 

 be removed from the others as soon as discov- 

 ered, and put by itself, or it may spread over 

 the whole flock. Under proper management, 

 Nature is a prudent guardian to fowls in health, 

 a kind nurse to them in weakness, and the 

 most skillful physician in disease. With her 

 man should do no more than co-operate ; and 

 this we can do most effectually by adopting ev- 

 ery proper means, by accommodation and diet, 

 to preserve them in a proper state of health. 



It is with truth said, that "the diseases of 

 our domestic animals kept for food are gener- 

 ally the result of some error in the diet or man- 

 agement, and should either have been prevent- 

 N 



ed or cured more readily and advantageously 

 by an immediate change or adoption of the 

 proper regimen. When that will not succeed, 

 any farther risk is extremely questionable ; and 

 particularly with respect to poultry, little hope 

 can be derived from medical attempts." 



APOPLEXY. 



This disease is very frequent among fowls,, 

 and makes its attack, in most instances, with- 

 out the slightest warning. M. Flourens, of 

 Paris, says there are two degrees of apoplexy 

 among fowls one deep-seated and the other 

 superficial each having different symptoms. 

 Deep-seated apoplexy is characterized by com- 

 plete disorder of movement, while superficial 

 apoplexy is manifested only by deficient mus- 

 cular energy and inability in walking. Deep- 

 seated apoplexy is accompanied by superficial 

 apoplexy ; but as the latter is the precursor of 

 the former, it ought to be carefully attended to, 

 in order to prevent its passing to what may be 

 termed the second stage, though both stages 

 are capable of being cured by a natural process, 

 as an individual case proves. 



M. Flourens had brought to him, in the 

 month of April, a young fowl, whose gait indi- 

 cated that of a tipsy animal so much, that the 

 peasants called it the " tipsy hen." Whether 

 standing, or walking, or running, it reeled and 

 staggered, advancing always in a zigzag man- 

 ner, frequently turning to the right when it 

 wished to turn to the left, and to the left when 

 it wished to turn to the right, and instead of 

 going forward it went backward. Its legs also 

 often bent under it, so that it fell down ; above 

 all, when it flew high up to perch, it could not 

 govern nor regulate its movements, but fell and 



