DISEASES OF POULTRY. 



195 



affection of the spinal cord, and is another re- 

 sult of overstimulating diet. 



Treatment, Nothing can be done by way of 

 cure ; the case may be regarded as hopeless or 

 nearly so. 



CATARRH. 



Symptoms. The symptoms of catarrh in fowls 

 are identical with those so familiar in the human 

 subject namely, a wateiy or sticky discharge 

 from the nostrils, and a slight swelling of the 

 eyelids; in worse cases the face is swollen at 

 the sides, and the disease has the appearance, 

 or seems to run on to true roiip. 



Causes. Exposure to cold and dampness, 

 such as a long continuance of cold wet weath- 

 er, or roosting in places which are open to the 

 north or west. 



Treatment. In simple cases, removal to a dry, 

 warm situation, and a supply of food rather 

 more nutritious and stimulating than usual, 

 soon effect a cure. We have found a little 

 mashed boiled potatoes, well dusted with black 

 pepper, very advantageous. In severe cases, 

 the disease so closely resembles roup that it 

 may be treated in the same manner. 



GAPES. 



Of all diseases, real or presumed, to which 

 our domestic fowls are subjected, the most fre- 

 quent is the gapes, sometimes called pip. It is 

 a very common and troublesome disorder,. and 

 often proves fatal. All domestic birds, partic- 

 ularly young fowls, are peculiarly liable to it, 

 and generally in the hot weather of July and 

 August. By some it is considered a catarrhal 

 ..disease, similar to the influenza in human be- 

 ings, producing a thickened state of the mem- 

 brane lining the nostrils, mouth, and tongue. 



Causes. This disease is supposed to be pro- 

 duced from filthy, sour diet, and drinking from 

 dirty puddle water, infected with putrid decay- 

 ing substances, ill-ventilated fowl-house con- 

 finement, or a spot of ground tenanted year 

 after year by fowls, without attention to clean. 

 liness, to renovation of the soil, etc. At the 

 same time, let it be borne in mind that the 

 "gapes" is an epidemic disease. 



The gapes is supposed by some to be caused 



by a sort of internal worm infesting the wind- 

 pipe; but though this may have, in some in- 

 stances, been observed, it is by no means uni- 

 formly met with in all the disorders accompa- 

 nied with gaping. 



Symptoms. The name is sufficiently expres- 

 sive as to the symptoms of this disease ; gaping, 

 coughing, and sneezing, dullness, and inactivity, 

 ruffled feathers, and loss of appetite. 



On the dissection of chickens dying with this 

 disease, it will be found that the wind-pipe con- 

 tains numerous small red worms about the size 

 of a small cambric needle ; on the first glance 

 they would likely be mistaken for blood-vessels. 

 It is supposed that these worms continue to in- 

 crease in size until the wind-pipe becomes com- 

 pletely filled up, and the chicken suffocated. 

 The disease first shows itself when the chicken 

 is between three and four months old, and not 

 generally after, by causing a sneezing or snuff- 

 ing through the nostrils, and a frequent scratch- 

 ing of itself at the roots of the bill. , 



Treatment. The plan formerly adopted, of 

 giving remedies internally to remove the worms, 

 is not a good one, as the medicine has to be ab- 

 sorbed, pass into the blood, and act powerfully 

 upon the body of the fowl, before its purpose 

 can be accomplished ; its direct application to 

 the worms is therefore preferable. This is 

 readily secured by stripping the vane from a 

 small quill feather, except half an inch from its 

 extremity ; this should then be dipped in spirits 

 of turpentine ; and, the chicken being securely 

 held by an assistant, the feather so prepared is 

 passed neatly down through the small opening 

 of the wind-pipe, which is readily seen at the 

 base of the tongue, and giving it one or two 

 turns will generally bring up and destroy the 

 worms. The turpentine at once kills the worms, 

 and its application excites a fit of coughing, 

 during which those that were left by the feather 

 are expelled. This mode of application re- 

 quires some dexterity, and at times the irrita- 

 tion proves fatal. We therefore suggest the 

 shutting up of the chicken in a box, with some 

 shavings dipped in spirits of turpentine, when 

 the vapor arising from the extended surface 

 produces, in most cases, an equally beneficial 

 result. Creosote, used in the same manner, 



