DISEASES OP POULTRY. 273 



and housing prove effectual, little else can be recom- 

 mended. 



In the cure of these disorders in fowls, as well as in 

 man, the most inert and unphilosophical remedies have 

 been recommended. Dr. Handel, of Mentz, for ex- 

 ample, recommends, for the pulmonary consumption of 

 fowls, the juice of the white turnip to be given for drink, 

 instead of water, which, of course could have no more 

 effect in curing the corroded lungs, gorged with pus 

 and studded with black points, in chickens, than balsam 

 of hoarhound, pectoral elixir, and all the farrago of stuff 

 lauded for consumption in man. M. Flourens was too 

 sound a reasoner to dream of trying nostrums on his 

 chickens, since temperature alone seems to be the dom- 

 inant principle to which all attention ought to be paid. 

 After perusing the preceding observations, poultry keep- 

 ers need not be recommended to take care that their 

 poultry be well sheltered during the colder seasons of 

 the year, and if any appearance of cold or inflammation 

 be observed, to remove them, at least, for a time to some 

 well-sheltered place, or even into some artificial tem- 

 perature. 



ASTHMA. 



This is a very common disease among fowls, charac- 

 terised by their breathing short, opening their beaks of- 

 ten and long, as if to gasp for air, with heaving and 

 panting at the chest, more particularly when agitated or 

 frightened, 



There seems to be two species of the disorder. In 

 the first, it frequently happens that, when the action of 

 the blood vessels of the lungs has been increased to a 

 great degree, and the inflammation produced terminates 

 without suppuration or gangrene, phlegm is frequently 

 thrown into and plugs up a part of the air cells, which 

 prevents them from performing their proper functions ; 

 and the fowl, not being able to take in the usual quan- 

 tity of air, is obliged to inspire twice in the time which 

 before only took up • one inspiration, causing a double 

 heaving of the chest. The capacity of the lungs being, 



