194 



THE AMERICAN POULTERER'S COMPANION. 



rolled about on the ground a long while without 

 being able to get upon its legs or recover its 

 balance. These movements so nearly resem- 

 bled those which had been produced by experi- 

 ment, that M. Flourens was impatient to exam- 

 ine the brain. He found the bone of the skull 

 to be covered with black carious points. On 

 penetrating the dura mater, a quantity of clear 

 water ran out, while the cerebellum was yellow- 

 ish, rust-colored streaks on the surface, and in 

 the centre was a mass of purulent coagulated 

 matter as large as a horse-bean, contained in a 

 cavity perfectly isolated, and having its sides 

 very thin and smooth. 



Symptoms. The symptoms of apoplexy are 

 plain and decisive. A fowl, apparently in the 

 most robust health, falls down suddenly, and is 

 found either dead, or without sensation or the 

 power of motion. These symptoms are occa- 

 sioned by the rupture of a small vessel (usually 

 at the base of the brain), and the consequent 

 effusion of blood, which, by its pressure, pro- 

 duces the evil. 



Causes. Apoplexy is almost invariably caused 

 by a full habit of body ; it is therefore frequent 

 in overfed birds, and is most common among 

 laying hens, which are sometimes found dead 

 on the nest the expulsive efforts required in 

 laying being the immediate cause of the at- 

 tack. Unnatural and overstimulating food, as 

 greaves, hemp-seed, and a large proportion of 

 pea or corn meal, greatly predisposes to the 

 disease. 



This disorder is termed by some epilepsy, me- 

 grims, or giddiness. Many promising chickens 

 are lost by this complaint. Without any kind 

 of warning, they fall, roll on their backs, and 

 struggle for a minute or two, when they rise, 

 stupid and giddy, and slowly return to their 

 food. One fit having occurred, is quickly fol- 

 lowed by others, each more violent than the 

 preceding, until at length the little animal stag- 

 gers about, half unconscious, refusing to eat, 

 rapidly wasting, and soon dies convulsed. In 

 some cases it occurs when the fowl is poor and 

 half-starved ; but then the food has been im- 

 proper ; it has been watery or disposed to fer- 

 mentation ; diarrhea has followed, and the fit 

 are the consequence of intestinal irritation. 



Other young fowls will have occasional fits, 

 irom which, however, they in most cases rapidly 

 recover, and appear to be little or nothing the 

 worse for them. 



Treatment. In this disease much may be 

 done in the way of prevention little toward a 

 ;ure in an actual attack ; the only hope consists 

 in an instant and copious bleeding. It has been 

 said that bleeding is out of the question ; for how 

 is a bird to be bled, and where ? We would re- 

 ply, it is not out of the question ; for we have 

 saved the lives of several birds by its prompt 

 employment. And as to the mode of operating, 

 it is the same as in other animals simply open- 

 ing a vein with a sharp-pointed pen-knife, or, 

 still better, a lancet. The largest of the veins 

 seen on the under side of the wing should be se- 

 lected, and opened in a longitudinal direction, 

 not cut across; and so long as the thumb is 

 pressed on the vein, at any point between the 

 opening and the body, the blood will be found 

 to flow freely. If the bird recovers after the 

 operation, it should be kept quiet, and on light 

 and scanty food, and the affected fowl should 

 be confined in a rather dark coop, and kept 

 warm. 



VERTIGO. 



Symptoms. Fowls affected with this disease 

 may be observed to run round in a circle, or to 

 flutter about with but partial control over their 

 muscular actions. 



Cause. The affection is one evidently caused 

 by an undue determination of blood to the head, 

 and is dependent on a full-blooded state of the 

 system. 



Treatment. We have always found that hold- 

 ing the head under a stream of cold water for 

 a short time immediately arrested the disease ; 

 and a dose of any aperient, such as calomel, jal- 

 ap, or castor-oil, removes the tendency to the 

 complaint. 



PARALYSIS. 



Symptoms. An inability to move some of 

 the limbs. In fowls the legs are usually affect- 

 ed, and are totally destitute of the power of 

 motion. 



Causes. Paralysis usually depends on some 



