LEGS AND FEET 



allowed to roost at all. I have always thought that every case of bumble- 

 foot was caused by an irritation of some foreign body, such as splinters, 

 bits of glass, or briars, or from germs introduced through the skin by some 

 ' puncture by one of the substances named. 1 have looked for foreign bodies, 

 but never found any except glass. A bird with bumble-foot limps slightly, 

 as though it hurts to press the sore part on the ground. If resting, it is in- 

 clined to stand on the well foot. If walking, it hurries to get from the bad 

 to the good leg. As pus forms the limp is decidedly pronounced and diag- 

 nosis ought to be easy without examination of the sore foot. 



Treatment 



A case caused by a simple bruise is often aborted by washing the foot 

 in strong vinegar, or painting the thickened skin with tincture of iodine. 

 Most of the cases that have come to our attention had developed pus. These 

 should have the pus cavity opened with a clean thin knife, the matter washed 

 out with carbolized water, and the entire surface of the cavity itself painted 

 with a solution of nitrate of silver — ten grains to one ounce of dis- 

 tilled or rain water. Bumble-foot cases are often neglected until the bot- 

 tom of the foot gets into a condition of chronic inflammation that is hard to 

 relieve. Fowls .that have had the pus cavity opened should be kept on clean, 

 dry straw for a week. Many cases have had bad results from treatment 

 because obliged to walk about ip the filth of the yard or house.. The out 

 opens the tissues to the dangers from germ life, and it is little wonder that 

 many cases have to have the pus discharged over and over again. 



