52 SECOND REPORT ON ECONOMIC BIOLOGY. 



The ground should be treated with a liberal application of ground 

 unslaked lime, and this should be allowed to lie on the surface for a 

 few days before being turned in. 



The same land should not be used as a run for at least a year. 



A thorough cleansing of pens, perches, etc., should be given, and 

 all well lime-washed before being used again. 



Eggs before being set for hatching should be carefully wiped over 

 with 90 per cent, alcohol or strong methylated spirits and then dried. 



Various drugs have been tried, such as ferrous sulphate, sodium 

 salicylate, catechu, etc. 



We are indebted to Dr. Fantham for the latest results as regards 

 the administration and effects of this last-mentioned drug, as also for 

 much else on this disease, elucidated by his investigations in his 

 capacity as protozoologist to the Grouse Disease Inquiry. He 

 writes 1 : 



' Recently I have completed and extended some experiments on 

 the treatment of avian coccidiosis by means of catechu. The pro- 

 cedure may be briefly indicated : Ten to fifteen grains of crude catechu 

 are dissolved in one gallon of water. The dark sherry (or ale) 

 coloured solution so obtained is administered to the birds as drinking 

 water. 



The solution often darkens in the air, but its usefulness is not 

 impaired thereby. The birds drink it with avidity, and rapid 

 improvement follows. The treatment is usually only necessary for 

 about ten days. A solution containing ten grains of catechu per 

 gallon is strong enough in most cases. The birds successfully treated 

 were fowls, ducks, pigeons, hand-reared pheasants and grouse in 

 captivity. The treatment, successfully determined by laboratory 

 experiments, was tried on a small scale with infected birds on a small, 

 covered earth run, and on a grass run, and has been very successfully 

 applied, at my suggestion, on several large poultry farms where heavy 

 mortality through coccidiosis has occurred in previous years. 

 Although the objection might be raised that catechu is merely an 

 astringent, yet the great success of the treatment up to the present 

 justifies me in bringing it before the notice of the scientific agricultural 

 public." 



ijourn. Econ. Biol., 1911, vol.Jvi, p. 93. 



