494 POULTRY DISEASES AND PARASITES 



while others do not, indicate that it is weaker in some 

 respects than others, and not desirable for breeding purposes. 



While the author has made no critical study of roup and 

 kindred affections, a considerable experience with the disease 

 in its various forms leads him to the firm belief that the one 

 or several organisms causing roup are omnipresent, and 

 that any flock of birds is likely to harbor the organisms,, and, 

 in fact, most of them do. The matter of an outbreak 

 usually depends upon predisposing causes, and, if at all 

 general, indicates that something in the breeding or the 

 management is radically wrong. Occasionally, no doubt, 

 there may be ultravirulent' strains of the organisms intro- 

 duced, which will be followed by epidemics even under the 

 best breeding and management, but such conditions are rare. 

 The fundamental treatment for this class of diseases is to 

 bred for constitutional vigor, and then be continually alert 

 for its conservation. It is frequently the case that fowls 

 in a single house are affected, when birds of the same breed- 

 ing in other houses, fed the same ration and cared for in the 

 same way in every particular, are not affected. Under such 

 circumstances, one would be justified in presuming that 

 something was wrong with the house. The only way to 

 overcome such a situation is, of course, to find the pre- 

 disposing cause, such as dampness or inadequate ventilation, 

 and remedy it. 



Scaly Leg. — This is a condition of the shanks and toes 

 caused by the burrowing under the scales of a tiny mite. 

 This burrowing causes an irritation which results in the secre- 

 tion of material, which, as it accumulates, raises the scales. 

 In extreme cases the scales become covered or disappear, 

 and the secretion so abundant as to appear in large gran- 

 ular lumps on the shanks, The latter condition may be 

 accompanied by lameness. 



Unfortunately, individual treatment must be given. The 

 legs should be anointed with some penetrating oil, sucli as 

 the oil of caraway, or with lard, or vaseline, in which there 

 are a few drops of kerosene. Pure kerosene should not be 

 used, because it is almost impossible to keep it from working 

 up into the feathers and scalding the skin. The anointing 



