DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT 115 



Bird fever is very rapid in its progress, and in a week 

 or ten days will completely devastate a large bird-room. 

 Birds are seized with it, and unless the treatment is 

 immediate it is useless. The symptoms are drowsiness, 

 high feverishness, and diarrhoea. The excreta is of a dark 

 watery nature, smells offensively, and is sometimes 

 tinged with blood. The most effectual treatment of this 

 complaint has been by the use of sulphuric acid and 

 laudanum. This was administered through the medium 

 of the drinking water. To one ounce of water were added 

 fifteen drops of diluted sulphuric acid, eight drops of 

 laudanum, and ten drops of spirit of chloroform. 



Each case of this terrible disease that I have seen has, 

 in my opinion, been brought on by insufficient attention 

 to the details of management. It is quite impossible 

 for birds to thrive and do well in a vitiated atmosphere. 

 Yet I have been in some houses in which the smell of 

 the bird room pervaded the whole house. 



If birds are to thrive they must have plenty of fresh air, 

 their cages cleaned out at least once a week, a liberal 

 supply of clean sand should be provided, the food should 

 at all times be fresh and sweet, all stale or decayed food 

 should be removed from the cages, the water, both for 

 bathing and drinking, should be fresh daily, all feeding 

 and drinking vessels should be kept scrupulously clean, 

 and then the ailments of the bird room will be few and 

 far between. 



In cases of illness the bird affected should always be 

 placed in a cage by itself ; and where the affection is con- 

 tagious, such as typhoid, it is advisable to remove all 

 healthy specimens from the room in which the outbreak 

 occurs ; and, not only should they be removed from the 

 room, but they should be placed in clean cages. The old 

 cages and the room should be thoroughly cleansed and 

 disinfected before the birds are returned to their old 

 quarters. 



