The Feather's Practical Pigeon Book 



riers and Barbs it often affects the ear-passages, also the 

 eye- and beak-wattles. If taken at once it can be easily 

 checked, but if neglected even for a short time the whole 

 interior of the mouth becomes involved, when it becomes 

 a difficult, if not an impossible, task to cure it. Young 

 birds in the nest are frequent sufferers from it, and here 

 is where I would commence to eradicate it from the 

 loft by annihilating them at once. The cause of it is 

 attributed by some to filthy surroundings and unclean 

 water, but as I have known it to be of as frequent occur- 

 rence in lofts where everything was as clean as care 

 could make it, as where a filthy and neglected condition 

 prevailed, I am inclined to believe it arises more from 

 confinement, the use of nitrogenous foods, stich as peas 

 and Indian corn, and a lack of green vegetable food. 

 Pigeons at liberty are not as subject to its attacks as 

 those confined and highly fed, for the reason that they 

 have plenty of open-air exercise and can pick up what 

 green food is necessary, thus keeping the blood cool and 

 pure. Remedies recommended are numerous, but I have 

 never found anything better for outward application 

 than lemon-juice and sugar. Squeeze the juice of a 

 lemon into a teacup or wide-mouthed bottle; add to 

 this as much sugar as it will dissolve, so as to make a 

 thick syrup. Remove the canker carefully with a small 

 flattened piece of wood, being careful not to cause pro- 

 fuse bleeding. Then with a camel's hair pencil paint 

 the sores with the lemon syrup frequently till the canlter 

 is killed. A wash of borax and water is excellent for 

 swabbing the throat and mouth ; a piece of sponge on a 

 stick will answer for a swab. As an internal remedy, 

 give horn, remedy, arsenicum. 



I.M 



