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PHEASANT RAISING IN THE UNITED STATES. 
DISEASES AFFECTING MAINLY ADULT PHEASANTS. 
Roup.—Certain affections known as contagious catarrh, diphtheria, and roup, if, 
indeed, they be distinct diseases, generally group themselves in the fancier’s mind 
under the one name, roup. The term diphtheria should not be used, because it 
belongs properly to that disease in the human family which is caused by a special 
bacillus which does not cause disease in birds. The other two names may represent 
two different stages of the same disease, a contagious inflammation of the mucous 
membranes of the eyes, nose, mouth, throat, gullet, or windpipe, which may express 
itself by a watery, sticky, bad-smelling secretion, or by the development of yellowish 
patches. 
In the treatment of these affections the first thing is to recognize the contagiousness 
and to isolate the sick birds. Disinfect houses and grounds. Make a mixture of 
peroxide of hydrogen and boiled water, equal parts; into this plunge the head of the 
affected bird. By means of a slender wire covered with a little absorbent cotton and 
dipped in this mixture clean out of the eye or scrape off the tbngue and sides of the 
mouth all yellowish matter and apply a 4 per cent solution of borax or boracic acid 
or the peroxide solution named above. Give all birds, sick and well, a dose of Epsom 
salts. Keep iron sulphate or permanganate of potash in the drinking water. 
Pneumonia.—Pneumonia as a popular term in bird diseases probably often includes 
inflammation of the windpipe, inflammation of the bronchial tubes (bronchitis), and 
inflammation of the lungs. Difficult breathing, wheezing, coughing, and shaking the 
head, associated with the usual symptoms of feverishness, weakness, and loss of appe¬ 
tite, call for treatment. A purgative, such as Epsom salts or a teaspoonful of castor 
oil, should be given first. Keep the bird in a dry place. From time to time allow it 
to inhale the fumes of burning sulphur or tar or the vapors arising from carbolic acid 
in boiling water. Do not allow the fumes to become too dense. 
Enteritis.—Enteritis, as used in bird medicine, means inflammation of the intes¬ 
tines. While it may originate from cold, improper feeding, and the like, it is usually 
an infectious disease and calls for prompt cleansing of the digestive tract, which is 
best accomplished by EpsonTsalts or a teaspoonful of castor oil containing about 15 
drops of turpentine. Add iron sulphate or permanganate of potash to the water; 
isolate the affected birds. Disinfect thoroughly the houses, utensils, and grounds, 
and sprinkle lime everywhere. The causes may be coccidia, such as we find in 
white diarrhea of chicks; flagellates, as in the canker of pigeons; or bacteria, as in 
Klein’s infectious enteritis. 
Cholera.—Cholera would really come under the third class just mentioned. The 
organism causing it is frequently so virulent that death comes within a few hours, 
even before the diarrheal symptoms have had time to manifest themselves. The 
treatment would be practically that outlined under enteritis, although treatment is 
usually of no avail. Kill the very sick and treat only the apparently healthy, thus 
anticipating and preventing the disease. Necessary in all the other diseases, it is of 
supreme importance in cholera to burn quickly all dead birds, after saturating them 
with coal oil. Burying deep and covering with lime may have to do, but it is not so 
good a method. In killing the sick birds do not use the ax, and thus spatter every¬ 
thing with the infective blood. 
Scurfy legs.—The affection known as scurfy legs, scaly legs, scabies, or mange of 
the legs and feet is caused by a parasitic mite, Sarcoptes mutans, which burrows under 
the scales and by its presence sets up an irritation which causes a rapid increase in 
production of cells, together with a secretion resulting in a gradual thickening and 
elevation of the scales. Being a parasitic disease, scaly legs is transmissible from one 
bird to another and from infested houses, perches, nests, etc. Treatment must begin 
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