DISEASES OF POULTRY. 83 



the union of the parts has taken place, cut the stitches 

 and carefully draw them out so that they will not in - 

 terfere with perfect healing. After the operation has 

 been performed, give no food and only a small quan- 

 tity of water, to which a grain or two of salicylic acid 

 has been added, during the first twenty -four hours. 

 Then feed with milk for two or tljree days, gradually 

 changing to mush or more solid food, and finally re- 

 turn to the ordinary diet when the wound heals. 



With fowls, this operation is not serious, if per- 

 formed in time, the wound readily heals and the birds 

 are soon well. With pigeons, it is usually fatal on 

 account of the sensitive and vascular condition of the 

 mucous membrane of the affected part. 



ABNORMAL APPETITE, ABERRATION OF THE 

 APPETITE. 



Depraved and abnormal appetite is generally the re - 

 suit of some disease of the digestive organs, although, 

 frequently, it may be an acquired habit. It often 

 accompanies and is a symptom of catarrh of the crop, 

 parasites of the oesophagus and crop, catarrh of the 

 proventriculus, and partial obstruction of the gizzard 

 from lack of grit. It is easily understood why these 

 troubles should affect the appetite. The sensations of 

 appetite and hunger are produced apparently by physio - 

 logical variations of the circulation in the stomach, 

 acting upon the nerves of this organ. Variations of 

 the circulation occur from the diseases mentioned to a 

 much greater degree than under physiological con- 

 ditions, and, hence, the sensations produced are more 

 acute and more urgent. They lead the birds to swallow 

 the most convenient substances without much regard 

 to their nutritive qualities or whether they can be 



