APOPLEXY. 



Apoplexy is almost always a fatal disease and is 

 caused from the overfeeding of too much rich and stim- 

 ulating articles of food especially when birds are con- 

 fined and do not get the proper amount 'of exercise. 

 Birds having their freedom seldom get apoplexy unless 

 it be from some organic brain trouble. This disease 

 is caused by the rupture of a blood vessel in the brain 

 and most always originates in summer on the extremely 

 hot days. After an attack however any slight disturb- 

 ance such as a cold or bver difficulty, a fresh attack is 

 liable at any season of the year. 



Symptoms: Apoplexy will often be confounded 

 with Vertigo, but there is considerable difference from 

 the fact that in Vertigo they appear dizzy and unable 

 to move, where in Apoplexy they fall completely over 

 and have severe convulsions and with twitching of the 

 muscles. Very often the bird will die in one of these 

 convulsions. 



Treatment: Remove the bird at once to cooler 

 compartments, and quickly as possible apply cold rags 

 to the head, or dip the head in ice water at short in- 

 tervals. The bowels should be made to move freely to 

 encourage a better circulation of blood and to draw it 

 from the brain, a few drops of Castor Oil being about 

 the best of purgatives for this purpose. After improve- 

 ment takes place leave the bird by itself, keeping it 

 very quiet, and do not allow anything to eat for 

 several hours or half a day. When food is given, 

 use the soft food first such as soaked bread for a day 

 or two, then as the bird improves give regular food. 

 Above all, in this disease as well as in Vertigo, 

 never use Tonics, but what would be much better 

 are sedatives. 



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