POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 1 79 



to drop excrement when cloaca is entirely empty. This action 

 is due to the tenderness and irritability of the cloaca which gives 

 to the bird the sensation of fullness, and produces spasmodic 

 contractions. If an examination is made the mucous membrane 

 is found in the early stages to be red, dry, swollen and hot. In 

 a day or two a discharge makes its appearance. It is, at first, 

 thin and watery, but soon becomes white, purulent, and offen- 

 sive. This discharge collects upon the skin and feathers about 

 the vent, obstructs the passage and irritates the parts with which 

 it comes in contact. The soiled skin becomes red and inflamed; 

 it may be abraded by friction or by the bird picking at it, and 

 thus sores or ulcers are started which may become quite trou- 

 blesome." 



Btiology. The cause of the disease has not yet been thor- 

 oughly worked out. Wright suspected it to be identical with 

 human gonorrhea because of the similarity of symptoms, in- 

 fectiousness, etc. However, he has not been able to isolate the 

 Gonococcus, or specific germ of gonorrhea from affected birds. 



Treatment. The following is the treatment outlined by 

 Wright : "Any hen found with it should at once be isolated, 

 and the male bird carefully examined, and if necessary also 

 isolated. Give 30 grains Epsom salts, and twice a day inject 

 first a 4 per cent solution of cocaine, and immediately after- 

 wards a solution of nitrate of silver 4 grains to the ounce. The 

 fifth day commence a small copaiba capsule daily, and inject 

 acetate of lead, i drachm to the pint. Feed rather low mean- 

 while, and dust any sore places outside with iodoform or aristol. 

 If not well after 2 or 3 weeks, we would kill the bird, as the 

 disease is not quite free from danger ; for if the operator should 

 touch his eyes accidentally before he has cleansed his hands, the 

 result might be a most violent inflammation." 



"Break Doivn." 



Sanborn (Farm Poultry Doctor) gives an account of this 

 trouble, which, while brief, is to the point, and says all that 

 really needs to be said about the matter. Especially to be com- 

 mended is the last sentence. 



"This is the 'baggy condition' often seen in old hens that have 

 had too much corn. The rear part of the abdomen is crowded 

 with fat and hangs down, sometimes to the ground, giving a very 

 unhandsome appearance to the bird. The ceasing to feed corn 



