60 THE COMPLM TE POULTRY BOOK, 



DISEASES OF THE MMBS. 

 LEG WEAKNESS. 



Synvptoms.—Thii disease usually occurs In young birds, and more frequently 

 in cockerels than pullets. The bird affected is, more or less, unable to support 

 itself, and sinks down on the hocks after standing for a short time, or in bad 

 cases is even unable to rise on the feet. In other respects the health is good, 

 the appetite being at first, before the health is injured by want of exercise, very 

 good and the comb red. 



Causes. — The cause of this troublesome complaint, which frequently attacks 

 the finest and heaviest birds, is merely a rapid increase of weight, which is out 

 of proportion to the muscular development; it consequently is more often 

 present in cockerels than in pullets ; it is rarer in old birds, and is most common 

 in the heaviest varieties. Cochins and Brahmas being more especially subject to 

 it. Constitutional weakness may, of course, produce it without any rapid 

 growth. 



Treatment. — Local applications are perfectly useless ; but the most rapid im- 

 provement follows the administration of from three to eight grains of citrate of 

 iron daily, and a due supply of nutritious food, care being taken to select such 

 substances as are flesh-producing, and not fattening — wheat, barley, and a due 

 supply of worms, or in default, a little chopped meat, being preferable to rice 

 or Indian corn. 



KHBUMATISM AHD OKAMP. ^ 



Si/m/ptoms.^-T!heie diseases, though differing in their nature, arise se constant- 

 ly from the same cause and are so readily removed by the same treatment that 

 they may appropriately be placed together. A disinclination and inability to move 

 the limbs, evidently not arising from mere weakness, or a permanently cramped 

 condition of the toes, are sufficiently characteristio. 



CoMses. — Both disorders are caused by exposure to cold and. wet, and the ten- 

 dency to them may be much counteracted by preventing the fowls, during their 

 earliest chiokenhood, from running- in wet grass early in the morning. 



Treatment. — Good food, and a warm, dry habitation are generally efi°ectnal. 

 When chickens are hatched at such times as January or February it must not be 

 expected that any treatment can counteract perfectly the unnatural oircum- 

 stances under which they are placed. If exposed, they suflFer from ooldj find if 

 confined in close rooms, the want of fresh air, and of natural green and insect 

 food, produce unfortunate results. 



Symptoms. — Swelling of the feet, attended with a great degree of heat. 

 Treatment.— GiYe one grain of calomel at night, and three drops of wine of 

 colchicum three times a day, taking care as to warmth, etc. 



BUMBLE-POOT. 



^wipJoms.— Dorkings are more especially subject to oM disease. It com- 

 wences by a small, wart-like body on the ball of the foot. This enlarges, and at 



