CHAPTER VI. 



Poisons. 



Poultry on free range about farms and especially on small 

 city lots often obtain poisonous substances. Most of the poisons 

 obtained by fowls are the so-called mineral poisons. The chief 

 symptom of poisoning by these substances is acute inflammation 

 of the digestive tract. The narcotic or vegetable poisons on the 

 other hand cause severe congestion of the blood vessels in the 

 spinal cord and brain. 



Among the principal poisons likely to affect poultry may be 

 mentioned the following: 



Common Salt, Nitrate of Soda, Concentrated Lyes. — Com- 

 mon salt is most frequently obtained in excessive amount from 

 eating salt meat or fish. Ziirn says that 15-30 (>4 to i oz.) 

 grams of common salt will kill a healthy hen in from 8 to 12 

 hours. Nitrate of soda is used as a fertilizer and is eaten by 

 hens along with worms, etc., which they scratch up. Lye is 

 obtained only when carelessly left about the grounds. The 

 treatment for such poisons according to Salmon is to give "abun- 

 dant mucilaginous drinks such as infusion of flaxseed, together 

 with stimulants, strong coffee and brandy being particularly use- 

 ful." 



Arsenic may be obtained either from rat poison or from vari- 

 ous arsenical sprays used to kill insects. Copper is used in such 

 spraying mixtures as Bordeaux. Where spraying has been done 

 properly there should be no danger of the birds getting enough 

 of the poison to injure them. Sometimes, however, the vessels 

 containing the mixtures are emptied within range of the fowls 

 or the substances are handled carelessly in other ways. 



The symptoms of arsenic poisoning are given by Beeck (Die 

 Federviehzucht 1908, p. 828) as follows: "Secretion of large 

 quantities of saliva, choking, hiccoughing, great anxiety and 

 nervousness, little or no appetite, thin, often bloody feces, slow 

 and difficult breathing, unsteady walk, trembling and convul- 

 sions, expansion of the pupils. Death ordinarily occurs in a 



