251 
POULTRY LOUSINESS. 
By Alexander Henderson, M.R.V.C.S., Park Lane, London. 
To the Editor of u The Veterinarian 
Dear Sir, — In the last number of The Veterinarian, you 
have a most interesting paper by Mons. H. Bouley, on “Poultry 
Lousiness,” as affecting horses; and it appears, from your own 
observations, that this disease has not been recorded in this 
country, or, at least, not in your recollection. 
It is very many years ago — I think about five-and-thirty — that 
my attention was first drawn to this disease. Notwithstanding 
this elapse of time, however, from its being a remarkable oc- 
currence, I have all the circumstances so strongly impressed on 
my memory that I shall, without hesitation, comply with your 
request, by relating to you the simple facts as they then, in my 
recollection, occurred. 
My attention was first drawn to the subject through being 
called to see eight horses that were used in a pair-horse stage- 
coach, which at that time ran from Kensington to Leadenhall- 
street. These horses occupied an eight-stall stable, built ex- 
pressly for their use, and totally unconnected with any other 
stable in the yard. The stable-man told me that two or three 
of the horses which stood at one end of the building had been 
rubbing and gnawing themselves for some days past, which in- 
creasing until it became serious, it was thought requisite to apply 
to me about it. On examining them, I confess that 1 was some- 
what puzzled to determine the nature of the malady. It was 
unlike both mange and surfeit in any form I had ever before 
seen them. Still, I commenced at once to treat them the same 
as I had been accustomed to do cases of mange, by giving 
them a good mercurial dressing. This appeared to have the 
desired effect for a time. But we found that the other horses, 
one after another, became similarly affected ; and that even 
those which we considered as cured relapsed as bad as ever 
again. One day, as I was standing watching the operation of 
dressing, an old coachman drove into the yard, and soon began 
to ask “ what was the matter.” I confess 1 felt myself some- 
what puzzled, by way of answer to his question, to give the dis- 
ease a name, when the old boy followed up his inquiry by asking 
“Where’s your hen-house?” The place being pointed out, the 
door was no sooner opened than a spectacle was disclosed to us 
which 1 shall not readily forget. The accumulation of filth in 
the place, which had not to all appearance been cleaned out for 
years, was only to be compared in aspect and consistence to 
