37 § 
The Illustrated Book of Pigeons. 
LAMENESS. — From time to time a pigeon will mysteriously lose the use of its legs without any 
apparent cause. In some cases we have reason to believe that the original cause is a bird’s sud- 
denly striking against something in its flight, for we have noticed that after several such occasions, 
though no evil has seemed to follow at the time, a sudden lameness has at some s?ibsequeni time 
attacked the bird. These sudden cases we have also known recover with almost equal suddenness ; 
but where a bird, as is most commonly the case, gets gradually lame, we cannot say we have ever 
known a cure. [We have had no actual experience of this disease, or of a remedy ; but from a 
somewhat analogous experience with poultry, are disposed to think it is generally a nervous affec- 
tion, and that perfect quiet and seclusion, with the administration of a quarter of a grain of opium 
daily, might in some cases effect a cure. Where the disease evidently arises from inflammation 
of the knee-joint, or gout, painting with tincture of iodine everyday will often be efficacious. — Ed.] 
LEG-WEAKNESS. — This chiefly affects Pouters, and its treatment by bandages soaked in 
whisky has been given at page 130. [We should advise, in cases when unusual length of limb or 
previous experience with the progeny of the same parents led us to rather expect weakness, an 
attempt at prevention by the administration daily of two or three pills made of oatmeal and 
bone-dust, and four or five drops of syrup of hypophosphite of iron, or the compound preparation 
of phosphites known as “ Parrish’s Chemical Food.” We have only known it tried in one case ; 
but in that case it succeeded, though previous hatches had failed. — Ed.] 
Megrims. — See Vertigo. 
ROUP. — This disease is caused in nearly every case by draught or damp. It is strange, but we 
have repeatedly noticed it, that pigeons will often place themselves for the night just in that place, 
of all others, where the draught is most severe, such as inside the hole by which they enter the loft. 
We have long ago arrived at the conclusion that a bird which has been thus exposed may suffer 
serious injury, even though it show no untoward symptoms for weeks or months, after which the evil 
may break out in either of many different forms. Most usually, however, the first sign of a bad cold 
is a running at the eyes or nostrils, which, if neglected, becomes thicker, is followed by the head 
perceptibly swelling — in fact, by true roup. We have seen cases so bad that the whole side of the 
head seemed gathered or cankered, and the bird lost its sight. When the head is much swelled the 
cause will usually be found in the stoppage of the nostrils by viscid matter, which, being unable to 
find an exit, collects inside, and may even fill the throat, so as to strangle the bird, unless removed. 
When roup is neglected, even though the immediate danger passes off, it is very apt to cause canker 
in the mouth or ear, for which see the treatment under that head. It is, indeed, cases of canker 
which have followed a bad attack of roup which are usually most obstinate and severe, the whole 
system appearing to have become poisoned with the roup secretion, the specific and virulent cha- 
racter of which becomes additionally probable when we consider its fatally contagious character 
amongst fowls, for we have long been convinced that the disease is very nearly if not quite identical. 
[We have demonstrated that it can be communicated from one to the other. — Ed.] In such cases 
of canker following upon a severe attack of roup, we have known the canker extend all down the 
breast of a bird, and appear to penetrate and grow into the very flesh ; and we are by no means sure, 
since it is difficult to account for many cases of wing-disease, that even that may not follow a severe 
cold in many instances.* All we certainly know, however, is, that whenever a bird does not seem 
* It would seem to us more probable that the cold or roup was simply the exciting cause of the development of wing-disease in 
an originally scrofulous constitution, just as a tendency to consumption may be inherited and lie dormant many years, till developed 
by a cold, mental shock, or other exciting cause. — Eu. 
