478 COMMERCIAL POULTRY RAISING 



dered fennel, anise, coriander seed, cinchona; i dram each of 

 powdered gentian and ginger; and 15 grains of powdered sul- 

 phate of iron. Mix these ingredients thoroughly. Dosage: 

 from two to four grains of the mixture added to the food twice 

 a day for each fowl. 



Bagging Down. — ^The posterior parts of a fowl hang down and 

 even drag on the ground. It is not a disease, but the result of 

 improper feeding and lack of exercise, an over-fat condition, and 

 very hard to correct. Better kill such specimens for the table; 

 they are not sick birds, remember. 



Blackhead (Entero-Hepatitis) . — This is a disease that attacks 

 young turkeys, and is seldom found in other fowls. In the course 

 of the disease the head generally becomes dark colored or nearly 

 black, hence the nam.e. It is an infection of the liver, similar in 

 its nature to human dysentery. It is highly contagious and very 

 difficult to cure. If the birds are in an advanced stage of the 

 disease, they had better be killed, and the bodies carefully dis- 

 posed of, because thus far the treatm.ent for blackhead has not 

 given satisfactory results. If treated at all, the afflicted birds 

 must be isolated. 



The symptoms are loss of appetite and condition, diarrhea, 

 and finally prostration. The liver is found to be more or less 

 enlarged, and spotted with yellowish or greenish-yellow nodules. 



The remedies used are sulphur 5 grains, sulphate of iron i 

 grain; or benzonaphthol I grain, salicylate of bismuth I grain; 

 or sulphate of iron i grain, salicylate of soda i grain. These 

 remedies are followed by a purgative. Fifteen grains of catechu 

 to the gallon of drinking water is found to be beneficial. 



Do not be afraid to use the axe in this disease, because sacri- 

 ficing a few birds may be the means of saving the balance of the 

 flock. Dissemination of this contagion has made some localities 

 almost impossible to raise turkeys. Every effort should be made 

 to check the disease. 



Bronchitis. — Usually caused by exposure to sudden changes in 

 temperature, dampness or irritating particles of dust, like lime. 

 The symptoms are dullness, loss of appetite, coughing, which is 



