COMMON POULTRY DISEASES 315 



Cholera is the most to be dreaded of all poultry diseases. 

 In its action, it is quite similar to human cholera, and its 

 spread through a flock is most rapid. It affects chiefly the 

 alimentary tract, particularly the intestines. The most 

 common symptoms are a quiet listlessness, and the inclina- 

 tion of the birds to go off into comers by themselves. They 

 appear to lose the use of their legs, the comV> and head parts 

 become purplish in color, and in advanced stages, there is 

 a profuse greenish diarrhoea. Birds affected rarely live more 

 than three days from the time they show the first symptoms. 

 These two diseases, though not especially common, call for 

 more than passing mention, because their prevalence in a 

 flock will ruin the possibilities of any poultry farm. Let it 

 here be emphasized that to have healthy birds, we must 

 give them clean quarters and keep up their vitality. 



LABORATORY EXERCISES 



Exercise No. 80. — Chicken Pox, Roup, and Canker. — Try 

 and secure in the community cases of these three conditions 

 so that they may be presented to the class during the lesson. 

 By having the actual disease before them the appearance 

 and place of infection may be readily appreciated and similar 

 cases which they may have at home may be determined. 

 Each pupil may relate experiences which he has had at 

 home with such forms of disease. If several cases appear, 

 a visit from the teacher or the entire class may be of benefit 

 in checking the trouble by recommending preventive 

 measures. 



Exercise No. 81. — Potassium Permanganate Solution. — 

 Prepare a stock or saturated solution of potassium perman- 

 ganate. This is done by placing about a quart of water in a 

 glass or china dish (not a metal or galvanized pail). Place 

 in this enough of the crystals of potassium permanganate so 

 that they will not all dissolve. After they have stood for 

 some time the solution should be poured into a glass bottle 



