128 CURE FOR THE GAPES. 



This is varied by mixing ground pepper 

 with butter, and forcing it down the throat. 

 This is generally supposed to burn out the 

 disease ; it may do that, but, as far as my 

 experience goes, it burns out the chicken 

 with it. Another remedy, which may act 

 as a preventive, comes recommended on 

 more reasonable grounds. It consists in 

 mixing up a small quantity of powdered as- 

 afoetida with Indian meal. As this is an 

 unpleasant material to handle, the better 

 way is to put a small quantity in a bag, and 

 put it into the trough of water. I have been 

 assured by those who have tried it that their 

 chickens never have the gapes. Soap mixed 

 with the food, or Indian meal mixed up with 

 soap-suds, has also been highly recommend- 

 ed. The only sure and certain remedy is to 

 resort to a simple operation. Take a small 

 feather and strip off the web, except about 

 an inch and a half at the tip ; wet the end 

 and turn it back. Let a person hold the 

 chicken on its back, extending the legs. 

 The operator takes hold of the head of the 

 chicken with his left hand, placing the thumb 



