CAGE BIRDS AND THEIR DISEASES, 423 
feed in excess, and sour, soft food. The disease is very rapid in its course. 
During the “first two days the droppings are green, and afterward become 
mixed with blood, death soon taking place if relief is not afforded. The 
bird is very thirsty during the attack. Parrots, canaries, and mocking- 
birds are particularly subject to the disorder. The patient should be kept 
warm, and oatmeal-tea (but no water) be given as a drink. From the 
diet exclude fruits, egg-food, lettuce and other green feed, giving only seed 
or grain, according to the natural demand of the bird. Meat-eaters must 
have an abundance of meal-worms and ant’s eggs, but no sour or spoiled 
food. Studiously avoid such of the mocking-bird foods in the market as 
can become sour. That made upon the formula given on a previous page 
will not sour, if carefully prepared, and is a good food in this complaint 
for such birds as those for which it is there recommended. 
RUPTURE. 
‘Young birds are more often than the old affected with a disorder 
called rupture, which is characterized by a lean, transparent, puffed-up ap-, 
pearance of flesh, with small, red veins, and a falling of the intestines into 
the lower part of the belly, where the skin becomes black before or after 
death. Though the malady is generally fatal, because not treated soon 
enough, relief may be afforded by giving a light and simple diet, since too 
heating and stimulating food is the most common cause, egg-food being 
quite often the origin of the trouble. This is generally, if not always, a 
manifestation of inflammation of the bowels and demands substantially the 
same treatment. Attend to it as soon as it manifests itself. 
COSTIVENESS, DIARRHC@A AND DYSENTERY. 
CosTIVENESs.—When the action of the bowels is stopped or difficult, 
mild cases may be cured by giving green food freely, and substituting the 
juice of yellow carrots for the drink. The bath should be taken away. In 
obstinate cases, give one to two drops of castor oil, either directly into the 
throat from a quill or pen, or in the food. It is well, sometimes necessary, 
to dip a fine, soft brush or feather into oil and very carefully push it into 
the bowel through the vent. 
DIARRHGA AND DysEenTERY.—These can generally be cured by 
feeding poppy seed, which should be half-boiled for parrots and thrushes. 
In the worst cases, particularly if blood is mixed in the droppings, give one 
or two drops of tincture of opium in the drink. Colds and an unwise selec- 
tion of food are the chief causes. 
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