POUWRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 45 



very short time." Treatment should be with sulphate of iron, 

 calcined magnesia, or large quantities of milk. Salmon also 

 recommends white of egg and flaxseed mucilage. 



The special symptoms of copper poisoning are vomiting and 

 diarrhea, the copper giving a blue or green color to the vomited 

 matter and the feces. Evidence of violent pain may follow with 

 collapse, convulsions or paralysis. The circulation and respira- 

 tion are weak. Usually fatal in a few hours. Large quantities 

 of milk, white of egg, mucilage, and sugar water are recom- 

 mended. 



Lead and sine poisoning occur chiefly from eating paint skins. 

 The symptoms so far as they have been observed in poultry do 

 not differ greatly from those seen in copper poisoning. The 

 treatment recommended by Salmon is the same as for copper. 

 With lead poisoning the sulphates of soda, potash or magnesia 

 are recommended with the object of forming insoluble sulphate 

 of lead. 



Phosphorus may be obtained from rat poisons or from heads 

 of matches. If large quantities of phosphorus are eaten by the 

 bird severe inflammation of the stomach and intestine occurs 

 and death results in from i to 2 hours. If only a small quan- 

 tity is eaten the symptoms, according to Beeck, are weakness, 

 languor, ruffled feathers, lack of appetite. 



Strychnine is usually obtained by poultry from rat poison?. 

 The distinctive symptoms here, according to Beeck, is the twist- 

 ing of the spinal column and paralysis. The neck is twisted 

 backward so that the head is often held over the rump. The 

 treatment recommended by Beeck is to give "inhalations of 

 chloroform or internally i to' 3 grains of chloral hydrate dis- 

 solved in 2 tablespoonsful of water. The amount to be given 

 depends on the size of the bird. 



Ergot of Rye is one of the vegetable poisons which sometimes 

 causes serious trouble among poultry. This is especially true 

 in European countries. In this country so little rye is raised and 

 fed to poultry that there is little chance for poisoning. The 

 cause of the poisoning is a fungus which attacks the rye plants. 

 The symptoms of ergot poisoning are trembling, intoxication, 

 great weakness and gangrene of the comb, beak and tongue. 

 The treatment is to give strong stimulants such as "brandy, 

 coffee, camphor or quinine." 



