DISEASES OF POULTRY. 



199 



last, by the contraction of the crop and the 

 swelling of the grain, a hardened mass is 

 formed, weighing, in some cases, nearly a 

 pound, and by the enormous protuberance it 

 causes, giving evident indications of its pres- 

 ence. Sometimes the disease is occasioned by 

 a single object being swallowed, whose size is 

 too large to permit it to pass into the stomach. 

 In this case it serves as a nucleus for other mat- 

 ters, and a mass is formed around it. " I have," 

 says Mr. Tegetmeier, " now lying before me a 

 piece of bone, one inch and a half long by three- 

 quarters of an inch broad, which was imbedded 

 in a mass of horse-hair, oat-husk, and other veg- 

 etable fibres, the whole forming an egg-shaped 

 solid, two and a half inches in the long and one 

 and a quarter in the short diameter. This 

 caused the death of the Dorking in whose crop 

 it was found." 



Treatment. The treatment of this disorder is 

 very simple. With a sharp pen-knife an incis- 

 ion must be made through the skin and upper 

 part of the crop ; the impacted mass loosened by 

 some blunt-pointed instrument, and removed. 

 If it has remained many days, and is very offens- 

 ive, the crop may then be washed out by pour- 

 ing in some warm water. The incision, if small, 

 may be left ; but if large, a stitch or two is ad- 

 visable. The bird should be fed on soft food a 

 day or two, and will rapidly recover. Some- 

 times a dessert-spoonful of gin will stimulate the 

 crop sufficiently to overcome the mass, and ren- 

 der the use of the knife unnecessary. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE STOMACH. 



Symptoms. When a fowl mopes and refuses 

 to eat, without any apparent cause, or selects 

 only soft food, rejecting corn or grain, and, 

 gradually pining, becomes excessively thin, in- 

 flammation of the stomach may be suspected. 



Causes. Overstimulating food, especially peas, 

 hemp-seed, etc., necessarily make a greater 

 call upon the digestive organs than more sim- 

 ple and wholesome diet. The amount of gas- 

 tric juice must be in proportion to the digesti- 

 bility of the food ; and hence, under the use of 

 peas, corn, hemp-seed, etc., the organ is over- 

 worked and stimulated to such an extent as to 

 become inflamed. The secretion of gastric juice 



then ceases, the food is not digested, and con- 

 sequently distends the stomach to an enormous 

 degree ; so that, although not naturally larger 

 than the finger, we have seen it four or five 

 times the size of the gizzard. 



Treatment. The prevention of this disease, 

 by the use of wholesome and natural diet, is 

 easy ; the cure in advanced cases very uncer- 

 tain. The only treatment to be relied on would 

 be the immediate employment of a plain diet- 

 ary, consisting of cooked soft food, so as to make 

 the least possible call on the digestive organs : 

 and if to this regimen an occasional grain of 

 calomel, at intervals of several days, be added, 

 all is done that can be likely to benefit the pa- 

 tient. 



DIARRHEA. 



"There are times when fowls dung more 

 loosely than at others, especially when they 

 have been fed on green or soft food ; but this 

 may occur without the presence of disease. But 

 should this state deteriorate into a confirmed 

 and continued laxity, immediate attention is re- 

 quired to guard against fatal effects." Dr. Ben- 

 nett. 



Symptoms. The symptoms of diarrhea, or 

 looseness, are so evident as to render descrip- 

 tion hardly necessary. Lassitude, emaciation, 

 and, in very severe cases, voiding of calcareous 

 matter, white, streaked with yellow, resembling 

 the yolk of a stale egg, and sticking to the feath- 

 ers near the vent. It becomes acrid, from the 

 presence of ammonia, and causes inflamma- 

 tion, which extends speedily through the in- 

 testines. 



Causes. Diarrhea is generally produced by a 

 too scanty supply of grain which necessitates 

 an excess of green food dampness, undue 

 acidity in the bowels, and unwholesome diet of 

 any description. 



Treatment. The treatment is simple, and of 

 course depends upon the cause. When the dis- 

 ease is brought on by a diet of green or soft 

 food, the diet must be changed, and water 

 given sparingly. Five grains of powdered chalk, 

 the same quantity of rhubarb, and three of cay- 

 enne pepper, may be administered ; and if the 

 relaxation is not speedily checked, a grain of 



