50



Correspondence , Notes, etc.



enteritis, this by no means proves that enteritis cannot be produced by any

other means or agents.


Cannot it be produced by copious draughts of cold water, wet or

frosted green food, bathing in cold weather and remaining wet too long so

that a chill is contracted? The first and second are frequent causes in

horses and cattle, and why not in delicate birds ?


Because the Bacillus of Typhoid has been found in oysters and this

disease has occurred after the consumption of same, is no one to eat

oysters? I think it is by no means an unreasonable surmise that many

oysters containing similar Bacilli have been consumed and yet have not

produced any bad symptoms. If egg food is as dangerous as Dr. Creswell

suggests, it is a wonder that the many hundreds of fanciers and aviculturists

have any birds left, as there are doubtless tons of eggs used annually. If

we are to eat nothing which contains germs I am afraid our diet list will

become very small.


The microscope is positively indispensable in pathological research,

and it is well to know that certain foods are more genial to the micro¬

organisms which cause disease than others, but we must not lose sight of

the fact that there has been provided an immunity, excepting under

certain conditions, by which the higher organisms can repel the attacks ot

the lower forms. For instance the Bacillus of tetanus is frequently, if not

usually, present in the alimentary canal of the horse, but excepting under

certain conditions he suffers no inconvenience from its presence.


My experience, as well as that of others, is that seed eaters are more

subject to enteritis than insectivorous birds, and, inasmuch as the latter

would eat possibly a dozen times as much egg food as the former, it is

strange to find the Doctor stating that this (egg) and this alone is the offend¬

ing diet which has done so much harm. Take, for instance, such birds as

Storks, etc., that live on garbage such as decomposing fish and such like, I

should think they must eat Bacilli by the million. If I can keep’ a freshly

imported soft-billed bird for a month I consider him safe from enteric, and

do not remember losing oue after that time. I have used egg in one form

or other for years, and have no reason to complain of losses from enteritis,

and unless reliable data, drawn from facts, can be produced, I should not for

one moment think of abandoning its use. Many are the fanciers, grey and

bent with years, men not necessarily scientific, but experienced and

observant, who have succeeded in keeping some of the most delicate ot

soft bills in perfect health for years, aud the staple food has been egg.

Facts are stubborn things. What greater authority or more successful

exhibitor have we than Mr. H. J. Fulljames ? Who could bench a bird in

better condition ? His experience tells us that egg is good, and the

“ Century Food,” his recipe, is composed largely of this ingredient, aud I

have used it with the utmost success, aud can strongly recommend others,

to use it. I am quite willing to run the risk of the attacks of the Bacilli.



