110 
The Australasian Book of Poultry. 
Rrcak-dmvu. — This is the " baggy condition " frequently noticed in old hens that have been over-fed. 
The rear part of the abdomen is principally composed of fat, and hangs down, often touching the ground. 
Giving shorter allowances of feed will often remedy matters, though a hen that has been allowed to get into 
this state is of very little use as a layer, and almost worthless to breed from. 
Bronchitis. — This is present when the bird has a difficulty in breathing, often keeping the beak open to 
do so. By giving a tablespoonful of castor oil at night, and slightly acidulating the drinking water with 
sulphuric or nitric acid, giving cayenne pepper in the soft food, and keeping the bird thoroughly dry, and 
free from draught, this treatment should quickly exhibit signs of improvement in the fowl's condition. 
Biimhlc Foot. — This must not be confounded with ordinary corns on the sole of the foot or under joints 
of the toes. Some breeds have a distinct tendency to develop the complaint called bumble foot. All are 
subject to corns if kept on a hard rough yard or run for any length of time. Bumble foot is a partially soft 
gathering on the sole of the foot proper, the skin appearing shiny and inflamed, and on opening with a lancet 
or sharp knife pus or cheesy matter, if of long standing, will exude. In rare cases a cure may be effected by 
fomenting the part with hot water, opening the swelling and extracting the matter, binding up the foot with a 
linen bandage after applying carbolic oil or vaseline to the wound, keeping the bird on soft earth or sand. 
A\'e have seen dozens of instances in which every care and attention had been bestowed upon the birds, but 
never saw a complete cure. Corns are a hard, scaly formation, mostly caused by the birds running on a hard, 
rough surface. Chickens thus accommodated, often suffering from two or more, especially on the under 
joints of the toes ; if taken in time, before the bird becomes crippled, a daily application of sweet oil or lard to 
the corns, and turning the bird down on a grass run or sandy soil will assist in the removal. Birds once 
affected are always liable to the complaint. 
Canker. — This is a cheesy matter, which at times forms under the tongue at the sides of the mouth, 
and also congregates in the food passage, if not treated often choking the bird. There is, as a rule, an 
offensive smell arising from this complaint, and in the majority of cases can be traced to impure food and 
water. A solution made of one-fourth chlorate of potash, one-fourth powdered alum, and one-half water, to 
wash the head and eyes, and thoroughly swab the mouth and tongue, first removing the ulcerous formation 
without causing bleeding, afterwards applying powdered borax to the sores, giving a few drops of Parrish's 
Chemical Food daily, restricting the bird to a diet of soft food and green stuff till well will mostly effect a cure. 
Catarrh. — Coryza, or catarrh of the nostrils, is known by the frequent sneezing and watering of the 
eyes, accompanied by a thin, slimy, and often offensive discharge from the nostrils. The bird affected should 
be removed to a warm, dry coop or house, washing the eyes with soap and warm water, afterwards wiping 
thoroughly dry, feeding on soft warm food slightly seasoned with cayenne pepper, adding four or five drops 
of tincture of aconite to each half pint of the fowl's drinking water. This can, in nearly all instances, be 
traced to exposure, damp or wet weather, or sudden variations of temperature, and if neglected will probably 
develop into roup. 
Chicken Pox, commonly called Warts. — This is evidently a disordered condition of the blood, and is 
chiefly confined to young chickens. There is no doubt that mosquitoes attacking the birds affected 
irritate the sores considerably. We do not think that mosquitoes are the sole cause, often 
having chickens in the same brood escape entirely, although the houses and roosting 
spots were infested with the pests. At the same time this rarely attacks adult birds, and is generally noticed 
at the end of the summer, and if the weather is cold or wet at this period the disease appears more severe. 
The head, comb, face, eyes, lobes, and wattles, and frequently the undersides of the wings, are the ordinary 
seat of the sores or ulcers that constitute the prominent feature of chicken pox or warts, and if the sores 
extend to the eyes great inflammation is caused, often resulting in the loss of one or both. If taken in the 
first stage, that is when small whitish lumps are noticed on the bird's head, comb, etc., carbolated vaseline 
applied to the ulcers twice a day, feeding the bird on soft food and a little chopped meat, with a plentiful 
