Lire Stock. 



96 



Symptoms.— The condition is easily noticed by the swollen and distended 

 crop and the lassitude of the fowl. There is usually great thirst. 



Treatment.— At first a teaspoonful of salad oil may be given and the crop 

 gently manipulated to try and get the food passed on. The bird should be starved 

 a day or two. If it is successful the diet must be carefully regulated for a few days 

 and a tonic may be given with advantage. 



If this fails, an operation can be performed and the crop opened and the con- 

 tents removed. At a point towards the upper part of the crop the feathers should be 

 plucked out and an incision about one inch long made into the crop and the contents 

 gently removed with a small spoon. After removal the little finger well oiled should 

 be passed into the crop and the outlet examined for any obstruction. The crop may 

 then be washed out with warm weak boracic acid solution, and the wound closed by 

 several small independent sutures, using a small curved needle and fine silk. If 

 possible, the lining membrane should be sutured first and the skin afterwards, or the 

 wound may be closed at once, bringing the inner edges of the wound together. 

 Benzoated lard may then be smeared on and the wound left to heal. The fowl 

 should be put into a box and the diet for 3 or 4 days must be soft and limited in 

 quantity, bread damped with milk or soup will answer the purpose. No water 

 should be given until the wound has closed. 



Soft or Pendulous Grop.— In this condition instead of being hard and full 

 of food the crop is soft and full of dirty fluid. If the head is held downwards and 

 the crop gently pressed it will flow out through the mouth. This should be done 

 two or three times a day, or the fluid drawn off by a trocar and canula or by a 

 hypodermic syringe and needle. 



For some days the bird should be sparingly fed on soft food and very little 

 water given. 



Pills composed of gentian, asafoetida garlic, and camphor with small doses 

 of Sulphate of Iron may be given. 



Care should be taken that the bird when liberated does not eat or drink too 

 much at once. 



(To be continued.) 



