Diseases. 



6i 



grains of magnesia, or even a little liquorice, placed in the 

 drinking-water, will be found beneficial. A piece of dandelion 

 root, previously dried and washed, should be scalded, and, 

 when cool, the liquid may be drained off and given to the 

 bird in place of its ordinary drinking-water ; two or three 

 senna leaves might be added when an alterative is needed. 

 Warmth is indispensable to a bird suffering from this disease, 

 and under no circumstances should birds afflicted with it be 

 kept in damp rooms. To effect a cure, much depends upon 

 the time the treatment is begun, for when constant dyspnoea 

 (difficult breathing) is induced, depending upon organic 

 disease, little more can be effected beyond the palliation 

 of symptoms. 



The best remedy for this distressing complaint is the 

 following mixture : Ethereal tincture of lobelia, 1 0 drops ; 

 compound tincture of camphor, Idr. ; syrup of ginger, 3dr. ; 

 cinnamon water, loz. : mix, and add two teaspoonfuls of this 

 mixture to 2oz. of filtered water, or to water that has 

 been previously boiled and allowed to cool. This quantity 

 should be given in the place of the bird's usual drinking- 

 water during a severe paroxysm, with much wheezing and 

 oppressive breathing. After the symptoms abate, reduce the 

 quantity of the mixture to one-half. Another useful formula, 

 and one which will be found of great use in chronic cases, 

 is as follows : Antimonial wine and tincture of henbane, of 

 each 10 drops, to loz. of weak gum water ; to be given in 

 the manner before mentioned. Instead of magnesia or senna 

 leaves, a few grains of Epsom salts may be used for relieving 

 the bowels. An infusion of gentian and chamomile flowers 

 as a tonic, with a few drops of tincture of iron added, may 

 often be given with commendable results. 



Beaks and Claws. — See Claws and Beaks. 



Bowels, Inflammation of. — See Enteritis. 



Beoken Limbs. — When a bird has the misfortune to 

 break a limb, remove the perches from the cage, and 

 supply a nice clean bed, made with hay or straw cut 

 short, and freed from anything hard or prickly ; tease it 

 well out, and make it as comfortable for the bird as 

 possible. Nothing further need be done excepting to place 

 the food and water where the bird can get access to 

 them without distressing itself. The fracture will heal of 



