76 THE PIGEON BOOK 



because I am inclined to think that birds subject to this 

 disease are of a scrofulous nature, because in nearly all 

 cases where I have killed the birds and examined the 

 wing I have found a cheesy deposit. 

 I think the primary causes are : — 



1. A stiffness of the wing joint, induced by rheuma- 

 tism. Birds sleeping in a loft which is of a damp nature, 

 or where there is a cold current passing through, a warm 

 loft would be more susceptible to this form. 



2. Swelling caused by bruises. I have often found an 

 outbreak of wing disease in a loft where there were several 

 upright joists that the birds struck against when going 

 out of the loft for exercise, or striking against wire netting 

 would have the same effect. Their removal has been the 

 means of stopping further trouble. 



3. Debility, disorder of the blood, and scrofulous de- 

 posit, very common in the wing joint. 



4. A great strain in flying. Cases of this latter class 

 will arise when birds return from a hard race. They drop 

 their wing, and unless given complete rest and most care- 

 ful treatment they seldom, if ever, recover the proper use 

 of the wing again. 



I don't like a loft for pigeons over pig-sties or stables 

 where they can get the fumes of the ammonia from below. 

 It is very lowering, and I have seldom known pigeons 

 thrive for any great length of time over pig-sties. 



The best treatment I can recommend for wing disease 

 is to pluck the feather round the swelling — in fact, I 

 have known cases where drawing a few feathers from the 

 wing has alone affected a cure — and paint the swelling 

 with strong iodine liniment, or once or twice a day with 

 iodide of potassium liniment. 



To prevent any further outbreaks I recommend the 

 free use of the following mixture : Sulph. magnesia, |oz. ; 



