RELIABLE POULTRY REMEDIES 



the need existing in their system eat to excess. In this they get too much 

 of the fat-producing parts and too little of muscle and egg elements. There 

 is a large fat deposit in the abdomen, bulging and dragging down the skin 

 and muscles, giving an ungainly appearance to the bird. It is a question 

 to be decided on its merits at the time whether to diet these cases or to mar- 

 ket them. They probably are salable and if cured will be worth little for 

 breeding or egg laying. The real good to be gained from recognizing the 

 cause of the "break-down" condition is that of avoiding it in the future. 

 Having made the mistake of using too much of the corn products, be careful 

 not to do the same another year. 



DROPSY 



This is a disease of the abdomen, or it may be a symptom of a disease 

 in some other part of the body. There is always a collection of water or 

 serum to be found in or between the tissues. Anaemic chicks sometimes 

 develop dropsy as the result of .filthy surroundings or incorrect . feeding. 

 The dropsy is secondary to the anaemia. Old birds may have this same 

 condition as the result of poor surroundings or care, or it aiay result" be- 

 cause of obstruction to blood flow from diseased organs, or from the pres- 

 sure of tumors. 



Tonics, such as mixture of nux vomica, one teaspoonful to two quarts 

 water, or arsenate of iron, one grain to one quart of water, used as a drink 

 for the sick birds, will help improve the general health of the fowls and some- 

 times this is followed by the disappearance of the dropsy. With tonics, 

 good food, dry, sunny houses, clean yard and houses, you may look for im- 

 provement. 



If the collection of fluid is large it will be well to insert a hollow needle, 

 first boiling it in water, through the tense skin, letting much of the liquid 

 run out, following this by giving in the drinking water one tablespoonful 

 sulphate magnesia to each quart, and keep this up for a week, or until you 

 see a change for the better. When this improvement begins, change from 

 magnesia to iodide of potassium, twenty grains to each quart of drinking 

 water. Fowls that have had dropsy are useless for breeders. 



VENT-GLEET 



THE CAUSE. SYMPTOMS AND ADVICE REGARDING TREATMENT 



P. T. WOODS, M. D. 



This arises from inflammation of the lower portion of the bowel. It 

 usually begins by redness, and swelling, and the first symptom to be ob- 

 served is a discharge first rather milky, but soon offensive which excoriates 

 the vent and forms crusts. Vent-gleet always begins with a hen, generally 



78 



