14 
THE AUSTRALIAN GARDENER. 
March 1, 1908 
The Poultiy Yard. 
Diseases of Fowls. 
niente) 
—<om 
(Continued from last issue). 
Sororuna, TUBERCULOSIS, CoNSUMPTION. 
Liver Disgasr. 
In every poultry yard, of whrtever size 
scarcely a season passes but some deaths 
take place among the adult fowls. and in 
the majority of instances such are due to 
the above diseases, all of which are allied 
by having many symptoms in common, 
the disease being known to poultry-men 
by the general term of “going light.” 
Fowls affected usually go about in a list- 
less manner, become thin and emaciated, 
mope about and ultimately die. When 
examined they are found to have scarcely 
ap ounce of flesh on them, and this 
despite the fact that they had a ravenous 
appetite until death, 
Scrofula, in bygone times, was under- 
stood to be an affection of the glands of 
the neck, but at the present time the 
ailment is looked upon as a form of tuber. 
culois. ; 
Dr Woodroffe Hill, F R.C.V.S., Eng- 
land, says that in the numerous descrip- 
tions of poultry that come to him daily for 
post mortem examination  scrofula and 
tuberculosis vr consumption were more’ 
frequently present than any other disease, 
and although they are one and the same 
disease, they may exist under different 
circumstances, scrofula being a disease of 
the system, of which tuberculosis is the 
manifestation. The same authority saya 
in-and-in breeding, and the propagation 
foom diseased stock, are the chief causes 
and further, that the aisease is favoured 
by every condition which renders the 
blood unhealthy. Malformations of the 
-chest, defective structure of the lungs, 
unsnitable nutrition, being all influential 
in the production of the disease. 
lts hereditariness is unquestionable, 
and therefore it munifests itself most for- 
cibly after in-aud-in breeding. 
A medical gentleman, a large breeder 
of poultry, lost the whole of his stock 
terough adopting the latter system, in 
order tv obtain certain points. Tuber- 
culosis is frequently preceded by some 
previous disvuse. It may follow roup, 
and often when cases of roup are cured, 
conspinption or a wasting away follows. 
In poultry, scrofulous deposits are 
sometimes found externally, amongst 
others being enlarged joints. In some 
case the scrofula is more pronounced than 
others, the liver especially inviting the 
deposit. The organ becomes an enormous 
size, and is then known as liver disease. 
In other instances it effects the meaenteric 
glands and is then known as consumption 
of the bowels, Fowls so affected have 
continuous diarrhea, and waste away 
rapidly. 
In pulmonary tuberculosis the deposit 
is found chiefly in the lungs in small 
nodules of a cheesy nature, and in late 
stages of the disease the whole structure 
of the lungs is broken down The treat- 
ment should consist largely by way of 
prevention. Sanitary measures are mat- 
ters of the greatest importance, clean 
houses. runs, &c. If there be an inclina- 
tion to doctor some of the cases in the 
early stages, tonics are best, while cod- 
liver oil has been used with good results. 
For a tonic there is nothing better than 
the arsenate of iron in pill form, 1 grain 
twice a day. At thesame time, the most 
competent authorities maintain that birds 
with tuberculosis are seldom cured by 
any treatment. 
The following article on the above sub- 
ject was contributed to an English poultry 
paper some time ago:—“ The broadest 
fact established regarding the exciting 
cause of tuberculosis deposit is that the 
domesticated animal is more liable to 
tubercular disease than the same animal 
in a wild state. The stabled cow, the 
penned sheep, the ca.ed lion, tiger, or 
elephant, are almost invariably cut off by 
tuberculous affections, no doubt due to 
deficient ventilation, and the obeyance 
of normal exercise of the pulmonary func 
tions. Compare the ordinary barnyard 
fowl with the highly-bred show bird as to 
vigour, stamina, and freedom from here- 
ditary disease, and the former, generally 
speaking, shows the cleanest bill of health 
for this reason : it lives in a more natural 
condition, is not crammed with artificial 
food, or dosed with quack nostrums and 
gets what grit it chooses to find without 
being supplied with any special form. 
The ravages of tuberculosia in the human 
family are too patent to ignore its gravity 
in the lower creation, and the poultry 
fancier will best consult his own interests 
in studiously avoiding breeding from or 
purchasing birds of scrofulous or tuber- 
culous taint, and in the event of the 
disease manifesting itself, to dispose of 
his stock, thoroughly disinfect his ground 
and after a sufficient interval import fresh 
and pure blood. ” 
In connection with this and other 
diseases, we are indebted to the United 
States and Canada for the many scientifle 
investiyations conducted by their Agricul- 
tural Departinents.in the poultry industry 
in that country, and perhaps the most 
exhaustive and important of them all was 
that conducted at the California Experi- 
mental Station two years ago, and pub- 
lished in Bulletin 161, issued by the 
College of Agriculture, the following 
being the introduction :— “ The import- 
ance of the poultry industry in  Cali- 
fornia has occasioned a demand for the 
investigation of the problems of poultry 
management, In response, the Legislature 
appropriated 5,000 dols to be expended 
by the University of California for this 
purpose, in the manuer indicated in the 
following:—There is hereby established 
in the county of Sonoma, at or near the 
E. W. ATTRIDGE 
17 yesrs wlth W. F. Gray & Co., 
126 Pirie Street 
(OPPOSITE MARVAL’S). 
Sheet Metal Worker, Plumber 
and Gasfitter. 
PUMPS. Spraying’&' Kalsomining Machines, 
ACETYENE GENERATORS, BATH HEATERS, 
GASOLENE MACHINES, ELECTRIC BELLS, 
BATHS and TANKS, 
