AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 297 



be taken not to introduce it too far down,) and it will bring the 

 worms out. The end where wires unite should be made smooth, 

 so as not to irritate the passage. K. 



T. J. Cope, of Hemphill, near Greenbush, (he does not tell 

 what State,) says prevention is better than cure, and gives the 

 following : 



"A few years ago we annually lost large portions of young 

 chickens through the disease mentioned. Of late, w^e have fed 

 them upon crumbs of bread, moistened corn meal or chopped 

 rye, with onion tops cut fine, and mixed with either of these 

 substances. We have a neat house, 12 by 20 feet, floored, in 

 which they are kept over night, and in the morning until they are 

 fed. They then roam over the form at large. We have no cases 

 of ' gapes ' since this regime has been pursued." 



The Chairman — My chickens never have the gapes since I 

 adopted the plan of mixing the meal the day before it is fed to 

 the chickens. This allows it to swell in the dish instead of in 

 the chickens. 



Dr. Waterbury — I want to know if there is anybody here who 

 ever saw one of these said worms that live in chickens' throats. 

 I would give something for the sight of one. 



Paul Stillman — I dissected a chicken the other day that died 

 with the gapes, and I found what I supposed to be a w'orm, in 

 the throat, seven-eighths of an inch long. 



Mr. Goodsell, of Otsego — I have followed the plan for years of 

 mixing onions or garlic wath feed. It is a complete preven- 

 tive. 



Solon Eobinson — Another letter from Irvin Robins of Greens- 

 burg, Ind., says the poultry in that neighborhood are visited by a 

 peculiar epidemic : 



"About the middle of AjDril I had 100 young chickens, which 

 ' grew and waxed strong,' till about two wrecks since, when the 

 mortality began and increased daily; and now at least four-fifths 

 are dead, and the rest are complaining, and stand drooping around. 

 On a close post-mortem examination I discovered nothing inter- 

 nally, but observed that their outer surface was completely cov- 

 ered by an innumerable multitude of vermin, supposed to be a 

 degenerated race of those whicli invest the caputs of the genus 

 homo." 



He wants to know what will cure that disease. Perhaps some 

 other correspondent will tell him. I would recommend the onion 

 diet, as I know that is very healthy ; also, sulphur mixed with 



