INJURIES AND DISEASES OF THE COMB 



THE TREATMENT OF INJURIES AND FROST-BITE 

 AND THE SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT OF WHITE 

 COMB. ECZEMA, BLACK ROT AND FUNGOID 



DR. N. W. SANBORN 



NEARLY ~all so-called diseases of the comb come in connection with 

 some other disease or condition. I suppose they are commonly 

 classed as diseases because of the prominent position the comb 

 symptoms hold. 

 It is well to remember that a change in the appearance of the comb 

 indicates a disturbance in some other part of the bird. If to the comb 

 symptoms are* added similar changes in wattles and ear-lobes, you are to 

 understand that the case is all the more dangerous, and needs more careful 

 and immediate attention. 



The comb tells quite a story of what is going on in the organs of the 

 whole body. Its appearance is as helpful to the poultry keeper as the tongue 

 of a human patient is to the observing physician. 



The normal condition of the comb presents that healthy look that 

 we all so like to see in our birds, and that is a sign of good bodily condi- 

 tion. As poultrymen we may call that color "bright red." Any devia- 

 tion from this red, whether it be to darker or to a lighter hue, is an indi- 

 cation of changed action in the workings of the organs, or to a change in 

 the vitality of the whole bird. The light colored comb shows an anaemic 

 state of the bird, while the dark (purple) comb indicates the opposite — 

 Plethwa. One may be a sign of under-feeding; the other that. of cramming 

 or over-feeding. 



INJURIES 



Injuries to the comb and wattles are more or less common, and are 

 usually the result of fighting or from getting caught in wire or lath divis- 

 ions of the house or yard. Sometimes a thin comb is nearly torn from the 

 head or a wattle is badly slit. To avoid deformity the parts should be 

 brought closely together and stitiched with a needle and fine white silk. 

 The blood supply is so good that even though three-fourths the part is 

 torn, a little stitching will result in the part healing and presenting a fine 

 appearance as the result of careful work. Keep the fowl alone until the 

 stitches can be cut and removed, thus preventing any picking by other 

 fowls. Whenever the blood dries on the surface of the comb and you find 

 other birds inclined to pick at it, put the specimen away by itself. It is 

 easy to teach birds to pick under such conditions, and the habit is a bad 

 one. The irritation to the sick fowl is also bad and delays healing, if indeed 

 it does not undo the good you have done. For a sore comb or one that 



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