68 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



fowls to gvt ill the tliroats (o bcconip porfcrk-d into t!i(> tiiiiped or one footod 

 U'acli. 



" Now, tlio poultry raisers say, ' no lice no j:;ap(>s,' brlievin;j: that lico 

 crcM^p ill the nostrils;, cliaii^'iiia; as tlwy proci'cd downward to tlu'Si' worina. 

 This is not so absurd as it at (irst appears. Two kinds of lice infest fowls. 

 The common poultry Ious(», fiiu* almost as dnst, covering- everythiiiLC in the 

 roost like powd<'r. This kiml hns nothin<j^ to do with u'apes. Many heii- 

 nicrios iiifestetl with these, have no trouble with gapes of the ehieken. 

 There is another louse, huf^e and few in number, fiinnd under the wiiij^s of 

 the mother, and on the heads of the young'. This, by creeping in the nos- 

 trils, causes the disease in question. The action of the chicken in the com- 

 mencement of the disease shows the irritation to be h cated in the nostrils, 

 later in the throat, and finally' we witness the long noiseless gajjc proceed- 

 ing from obstructed windpipe. 



" I'KF.VENTIOK. 



"In setting the hen have the nest clean, and sprinkle the nest and oggs 

 with sulphur. This drives olT all lice, which is good at any rate. When 

 liatched remove from the head any lice that may be found there. Grease 

 their heads, and under the wings of the mother. Have coops with loo^e 

 board bottoms, so that the chickens shall not have to keep their feet on the 

 damp ground, as this chills them and makes them rheumatic and weak — an 

 easy prey to parasites. Feed peppers, cayenne or common garden pepper. 

 The last made in a tea and their food moistened with it. This, with onion 

 tops or chives chopped, strengthens the digestive organs niid the whole 

 system. Cure. — Keep them strong, as above, and they will be able to 

 expel most of the intruders. To help them do this, do something to make 

 the habitations of the worms disagreeable to them. 



"The feed of onions and chives makes the breath unitleasant, compelling 

 the animals in the throat to relax their hold, when they will be coughed 

 out; assafcctida (tlu^ tincture) mixed with the food, is more efl'ectual in the 

 same way — it acts likewise as a tonic. I think the most effectual remedy, 

 however, to be suliihur mi,\<'d with the food. It seems to taint tin- breath 

 80 as to disgust the worms entirely, when they are easily thrown oiit by 

 sneezing. 



" If tills theory or hypothesis of the cause of gapes be correct, it will be 

 necessary to bury deeply or burn the dead chickens. The old yards are 

 the ones most infect<<l with this disease. If your ct>rrespondent observed 

 in the worms taken from dead chickens numerous eggs, these must bi'dune 

 develope«l in the dead l»ody, from thence; in some way infesting the living. 



"Some person will yet trace this animal from the germ thr<»iigh all its 

 transf.irmations, (d»serving its habits and peculiarities. We can then 

 speak of its suppression and eradication wilh knowledge and cerlainly, till 

 then w(! can but guess." 



.\Ir. .1. A. I'ond, Kingsley, Crawfni<l cnunty, ra.,s;iys he has ascertained 

 that the cause; of the worms which produce gapes in chickens arises from 

 their feeding upon angle worms, because his chickens always have gapes 

 •when tliey run where tiny can obtain these worms, and never when shut 

 iu close coops. Young turkeys which run wilh hens have gapes because 



