THE AGRICULTUKAL JOURNAL. 



317 



Favus in Poultry 



I HE following is a Board of Agricul- 

 ture (England) leaflet on Favus in 

 poultry : — Favus is a disease produced 

 by a minute parasitic fungus known 

 scientifically as Achorion Schoenleinii 

 (Reniak). This fungus attacks the 

 comb, wattles, and neck, etc., of birds, 

 and causes the feathers of the latter to 

 fall off ; sometimes one side only of the 

 neck may be affected, becoming quite 

 deplumed, whilst the other sh.ows no 

 signs of invasion ; but, as a rule, it is the 

 'comb that sulfers first and most from 

 the attack. 



Tinea favosa is common to jnan, the 

 cat, dog, and rabbi i, and is pai ticidarlv 

 prevalent in rats and mice. U is rarely 

 met with, however, in liumaji beings in 

 England. 



It is very destructive in poultry yards, 

 and, being highly contagious, often 

 spreads with great repidity. A single 

 diseased cock soon contaminates the 

 whole run, and several outbreaks have 

 been traced to a new male bird from an 

 attected yard. 



The first signs of an attack of favus 

 are small, pale, irregular, cujr-like spots 

 on the comb or wattles, generally appear- 

 ing on the comb first. These spots grow 

 together, and sooner or later form a con- 

 fluent covering of a dirty yellowish-grey 

 substance, which is often arranged in 

 concentric layers. These crusts often 

 grow to a considerable thickness. When 

 they are present on the comb or wattles 

 there may be a complete and rapid dis- 

 appearance of the malady ; but when the 

 feathered areas become invaded it is more 

 persistent. Sometimes the breast and 

 especially the rump, is denuded by this 

 fungus, which, when present on the 

 feathered parts, usually ends f.dally un- 

 less treatment is resorted to. The 

 feathers become erect and dry and fall 

 off, and leave the denuded skin covered 

 with dull yellowisii grey crusts, showing 

 here and there de])ressions'-f rom which 

 the feathers haxe fallen. The fungus 

 may easily be observed by scraping the 

 diseased surface of the skin under the 

 crusts, and examining the debris under 

 the microscope. It will then be seen to 

 coniiBt of a number of fine threads (the 



(Tinea Favosa,) 



mycelia), and numerous spores, some- 

 times nearly the whole mass being com- 

 posed of the latter. To examine the 

 fungus, the debris from the skin and 

 crusts should be put on a slide, and then 

 moistened with distilled water and a little 

 acetic acid. 



Nearly all breeds seem equally sus- 

 .ceptible, but the disease does not appear 

 to have occurred in Indian Game ; it is 

 said that fowls of Cochin China descent 

 are most liable to it. 



Care should be taken in handling 

 patients, as the disease can be transmitted 

 to man, on whom it is not so amenable 

 to treatment as in birds. It is probable, 

 however, that the disease can only be 

 planted either naturally or artificially on 

 an abraded surface. 



TSEATMENT. 



The treatment consists in bathing the 

 invaded parts with warm water and soft 

 soap, and then applying some ointment 

 to destroy the parasite. Nirate of silver 

 well rubbed into the comb and wattles 

 has been found of great benefit ; an oint- 

 ment of 5 per cent, of the nitrate of 

 silver in lard may be used for this pur- 

 pose, lied oxide of mercury one part, 

 to lard eight parts, has proved ati excel- 

 lent remedy if used for several days. A 

 correspondent of the Board of Agricul- 

 ture advises "powdered zinc, copper, and 

 iron rubbed on the damp comb." Thymol 

 has also been mentioned as a possible 

 remedy for favus, as it has been used suc- 

 cessfully in treating ringworm, a some- 

 what similar parasitic disease in the 

 human subject. 



In any case it is most essential to well 

 foment the diseased parts previously to 

 applying the ointment, and to remove 

 as far as possible all the favic crusts with 

 a blunt knife. One cannot be too care- 

 ful in examining a fresh bird before turn- 

 ing it into the run, which, needless to 

 say, should not be done if any signs of 

 "favus" are noticed upon it. 



Should the disease appear, the bird 

 should be at once isolated and treated, 

 as when the parasite reaches the 

 feathered tracts is it so much more diffi- 

 cult to eradicate. 



