amount of beat. The bird will not care to eat and 

 incessantly gasps for breath. The breath will be 

 rather offensive, and care must be taken for it is 

 claimed it can be further transmitted to persons by 

 simply inhaling the bird's breath. The disease some- 

 times appears in a very epidemic form and large 

 numbers die, it mostly occurring in the damp, cold 

 winter months. If the disease is not checked, the 

 bird finally dies of suffocation caused by the pressing 

 of this lump upon the windpipe. 



Treatment: Remove as much of the cheesy 

 looking matter as possible without injuring the mem- 

 branes of the throat, and use as a lotion a solution 

 of Permanganate of Potassium (eight grains to the 

 ounce) to the throat. To paint the throat with 

 tincture Chloride Iron is also good. Peed only very 

 soft food while treating and add a small quantity of 

 powdered alum to the drinking water. When squabs 

 are afflicted with Diphtheria little can be done ex- 

 cept to prevent its spreading. It will be of little 

 use to commence operative treatment on so young 

 a bird, for the surgical operation of cutting out the 

 lump often causes the squab's death owing to its 

 delicate constitution. However, if it is a valuable 

 bird it may be tried for the bird will undoubtedly 

 die anyhow, even if not operated upon. Make an 

 incision into the side of the neck taking care not to 

 cut an artery, and remove the lump. Stitch up again 

 with carbolized silk or fine catgut, and finally apply 

 a healing ointment containing Iodoform or Aristol. 

 This operation must be quickly done, and for an 

 hour or two previous give the bird to be operated 

 upon a dose of quinine, otherwise the operation 



42 



