BREEDING AND CARE OF RABBITS 



saucer of milk on alternate mornings. 



Abscesses and Boils: Abscesses often result 

 from bites or scratches, and are large lumps filled 

 with pus. The fur around the abscess should be re- 

 moved and an incision made clear across the lump, 

 when, by careful handling, the pus bag may be entirely 

 removed. Bathe the wound with a weak solution of 

 Peroxide of Hydrogen in warm water, to which have 

 been added a couple drops of carbolic acid. This will 

 prevent infection. Abscesses are sometimes bred into 

 youngsters by parents afflicted with them. Boils can 

 be treated in a similar manner except that the pus 

 must be sque-jzed out from time to time as the boil 

 ripens. If the boil appears in a doe, it will often 

 disappear if she is bred at once. 



Convulsions: This disease very often goes with 

 infant mortality, and the fancier can feel sure it is 

 either the lack of proper feeding or breeding. If the 

 does and bucks are unhealthy or the doe has been bred 

 four or five times a year and permitted to nurse six 

 or seven at a time, no wonder the youngsters will have 

 convulsions. Add to this the feeding of bran, cabbage 

 leaves and other cheap feed and the owner may expect 

 convulsions and infant mortality to follow. There is 

 no cure for convulsions, and the only thing to do is to 

 eliminate the causes by following carefully the sugges- 

 tions on feeding, breeding and housing in other chap- 

 ters. Small pieces of apple limbs once in a ■yvhile are 

 good as a tonic. 



Infant Mortality: Speaking of Infant Mortality, I 

 fear the average novice will not fully appreciate its 

 significance. Many fanciers, especially beginners, have 



196 



