DISEASES AND REMEDIES I05 



match stem carefully remove the cheesy growth, being 

 very careful not to draw blood, and then put a small 

 quantity of powdered sulphur in the throat. Do not 

 attempt to check the discharge as it first appears ex- 

 cept by treating as mentioned. If the bird is badly 

 cankered before treatment begins, and the mouth well 

 clotted, or if there is a large cankerous lump well down 

 in the throat, treatment seldom is of any avail, and 

 usually such a case is best remedied by killing the 

 bird. In the case of valuable birds the knife may be 

 used as a last resort. 



To keep the flock free from this disease feed only 

 sound grains and give the purest of water. Never 

 place newly purchased birds in the flies until first in- 

 spected thoroughly by opening the mouth to see if any 

 canker exists. When any is found, they should be 

 handed back to the seller, for canker is one of the 

 most dreaded diseases. 



When the disease is mild in form, by the prompt use 

 of the remedies recommended here, favorable re- 

 sults are almost always secured. 



Cholera. — This is the worst of all diseases with 

 which the breeder contends, and more loss is occasion- 

 ed by this complaint than by all others combined. It 

 runs its course with fatal rapidity, and, when once 

 present in a flock, may quickly decimate the pens. 

 Happily, however, the cause of cholera may almost al- 

 ways be traced to bad management and bad feeding, 

 so that a careful and intelligent breeder seldom is 

 called upon to carry out dead birds by the bucketful, 

 as sometimes happens with flocks poorly kept. 



Usually when first affected the bird mopes about 

 with a full crop, which if examined will be found to 

 be full of water with a very offensive smell. When 



