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THE POULTRY BOOK. 
remained many days, and is very offensive, the crop may then he washed out by 
pouring in some warm water. The incision, if -small, may he left; but if large, 
a stitch or two is advisable. The bird should be fed on soft food for a day or two, 
and will rapidly recover. 
INFLAMMATION OF THE FORE STOMACH, OR PROVENTRICULUS. 
Symptoms . — When a fowl mopes and refuses to eat, without any apparent cause, 
or selects only soft food, rejecting corn or grain, and, gradually pining, becomes 
excessively thin, inflammation of the fore stomach may be suspected. 
Causes. — Over-stimulating food, such as an excess of animal diet, greaves, 
spiced poultry meal, &c., necessarily make a greater call upon the digestive 
organs than more simple and wholesome diet. The stomach (or proventriculus of 
comparative anatomists), which is situated between the crop and the gizzard, secretes 
the gastric juice, in which the food is macerated previous to its passing on into the 
latter organ, to be ground by the triturating action of its powerful muscles. The 
amount of gastric juice must therefore be in proportion to the digestibility of the 
food ; and hence, under the use of unnatural food, the organ is overworked, and 
stimulated to such an extent as to become inflamed. The secretion of gastric 
juice then ceases ; the food is not digested, and consequently distends the stomach 
to an enormous degree ; so that, although not naturally larger than half the 
finger, I have seen it four or five times the size of the gizzard. 
Treatment . — The prevention of this disease, by the use of wholesome and 
natural diet, is easy : the cure in advanced cases very uncertain. The only 
treatment to be relied on would be the immediate employment of a plain dietary, 
consisting of cooked soft food, so as to make the least possible call on the 
digestive organs ; and if to this regimen an occasional grain of calomel, at 
intervals of several days, be added, all is done that can be likely to benefit the 
patient. 
DIARRHOEA. 
Symptoms . — The symptoms of diarrhoea, or looseness, are so evident as to 
render description unnecessary. 
Causes . — A too scanty supply of grain, which necessitates an excess of green 
food, or an unwholesome dietary of any description, are the usual causes of this 
complaint. 
Treatment . — The treatment is simple : five grains of powdered chalk, the same 
quantity of rhubarb, and three of cayenne pepper, may be administered ; and if 
the relaxation is not speedily checked, a grain of opium, and one of powdered 
ipecacuanha, may be given every four or six hours. 
DISEASES OF THE LUNGS AND AIR-PASSAGES. 
CATARRH. 
Symptoms . — The symptoms of a cold, or catarrh, in fowls, are identical 
with those so familiar in the human subject — namely, a watery or adhesive 
