Diseases of Poultry. 
19 1 
neck, but especially about the face, tongue, and throat, also frequently attacking the comb. Far 
the most serious cases are those in which the throat or mouth is attacked. While the outside sores 
seem unlike it, the internal growth appears so strongly analogous to diphtheria in the human 
subject, that almost from the first we called the disease by that name; and it is rather remarkable 
that some recent German investigations go to show there is probably a real connection between the 
two. In very many instances such appearances are complicated with those ordinarily presented 
by roup, in which case the disease is still more serious. 
Be this as it may, so deadly was and is this disease, that many consider wholesale slaughter 
of a yard so attacked, with copious and repeated disinfection, the best and cheapest remedy. We 
certainly have known cases in which only about one-tenth of the fowls have recovered under treat- 
ment. Our treatment, based upon scientific analogies, has however saved two-thirds of the cases 
in the majority of instances where it has been followed ; and, as this kind of treatment has alone 
done so, it would seem to be well based, however experiment (which we recommend) may cause 
variation in details. 
The fowls attacked should at once be placed apart in hospital, free from draught, and a 
slight aperient given of from one-third to half a tea-spoonful of Epsom salts. Meantime obtain at 
once from the nearest chemist a bottle of ordinary chlorate of potass and perchloride of iron mixture 
— every chemist has his own, but any will do — and also a bottle of the following dressing : — 
Carbolic Acid . , 
Sulphurous Acid . 
Tinct. Perchloride of Iron 
Glycerine . 
I drachm. 
3 »» 
J oz. 
i oz. 
With a camel-hair or sable pencil touch all the parts which show sores, morning and evening, 
with this latter dressing ; and six hours after the salts, begin to give one-quarter ordinary adult 
doses* of the chlorate and iron mixture, feeding meantime on the best soft food, unpeppered, but 
mixed with warm brandy-and-water : an occasional egg-and-brandy between two fowls is also of 
much service. Great care must be taken in anointing the throat; and occasionally a biid ma y 
be so irritated by a drop “ going the w r rong way ” as to choke and die. These cases cannot be 
helped, some such dressing being absolutely necessary ; but for bantams and chickens the lotion 
may be diluted with one-third water. If the mouth and throat appear healing, while there aie 
sores outside which make no progress, these may be treated with iodofoim ointment as an altci native. 
When the worst symptoms are alleviated, after-treatment must be guided by circumstances, accoid- 
ing as there may be diarrhoea or the reverse ; or roup may remain and have to be prescribed for. 
Professor Whalley has had great success by painting the diseased throat and mouth with 
strong solution of carbolic acid, adding that this energetic treatment really causes less distress 
than a diluted solution, the bird looking a little sick from pain for a little, and then salivating, but 
soon becoming as lively as before. The fungicide principle of treatment is the same. He also 
strongly advises some hyposulphite of soda and iron to be dissolved in the drinking water. 
DYSENTERY.— This disease is really diarrhoea developed to the “desperate” stage, as evidenced 
b the evacuations being mingled with blood. It is rarely cured; but promising results have 
attended the administration in any simple form of five drops of laudanum and five drops of 
M'Dougall’s Fluid Carbolate every three hours ; also of chlorodyne. 
. These and other quantities refer to .owls of good she and vigour, 
thirds down to one-third of the quant, ty. 
Smaller fowls and bantams may have from two 
