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CHAPTER XXXI. 
DISEASES OE PIGEONS. 
THERE is considerable difficulty in “doctoring” pigeons, from the fact that many medicines 
which are usually relied upon in specific cases, appear with these birds very irregular in their action. 
So much is this the case, that we have heard a very experienced fancier say — taking one of the most 
simple cases of all — that he “knew of no certain purge for a pigeon,” and that if he did it would 
save him many lives. We have never seen any attempt to account for this, and frequently heard it 
alluded to as a profound mystery ; but, after some considerable experience in giving advice to 
novices (who give much better and fairer proofs of the results of treatment than “ experienced 
fanciers,” these latter having generally previously tried some nostrum or other which complicates 
the case a great deal), we think a little reflection upon known facts will readily explain the diver- 
gent results by one of two reasons. The first is, that the average fancier, even of great experience, 
knows little of some of the most valuable drugs or of their action, and trusts too much to remedies 
of the same stamp as filled the old herbals of a century ago ; the second, that pigeons are kept 
under such widely different circumstances. In this latter point especially they differ from any other 
creature usually kept as a pet, and we might therefore expect that the operation of medicine would 
often appear capricious accordingly. Dogs, for instance, generally have more or less liberty, and are 
fed on food not greatly differing. Fowls are naturally walking birds, and, however the accommodation 
differs, are never debarred this, their natural exercise. Cage-birds, though kept in unnatural condi- 
tions, are still kept under very much the same conditions. But while pigeons are also, naturally, 
flying birds, and flight is their natural exercise, there is an immense difference in the degree to 
which they are allowed to enjoy it, and in their food also ; whilst in some varieties points are so de- 
veloped or modified as of itself almost to amount to disease, since the bird if set at liberty could not 
obtain a living. Taking only diet, and the very simple case mentioned by our friend, let us suppose 
pigeons fed on sound old beans. An ordinary purge would undermost circumstances act in such a 
case pretty freely ; but if we remember that a mere sudden change to softer food -— such as wheat, 
maize, or dari — of itself in most cases purges a bird freely, we might expect that one which had 
become accustomed to such laxative diet w r ould be far less affected than the other by laxative 
medicine. 
Still, explaining the difficulty does not remove it. It may assist a fancier in deciding between 
two modes of treatment, or upon the amount for a dose, but he will often remain in the dark ; and 
when the extremely artificial character of some varieties is considered, with the extremely delicate 
and debilitated constitution which such artificially, in-breeding, and confinement has pro- 
duced, it will seen that the task of prescribing for a sick pigeon is not encouraging. Still, we 
do know that hundreds of pigeons have been saved by judicious treatment, and we shall do our 
best to give such hints as may be of service. As in some cases different views are expressed, it 
may be well to state that wffiile such prescriptions or hints as are from the editor of this work 
are so specified, those not thus defined are by the author. 
