TOBACCO AND CHICKENS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5291, 11 March 1878, Page 3

TOBACCO AND CHICKENS.

; Tobacco, it appears, is invaluable as a medicine for sick chickens, and some remarkable iinatances of its curative effects when used as a remedy for theailments of poultry are' ‘given by a Correspondent of the Pacific Rural Press, an American publication. One case ,mentioned is that of a young cock, about Six 'months o!d, L ■which fell suddenly ill. The symptoms soon became alarming ; “ his head turned black, his .feathers all' ruffled up,’ and he' appeared 1 blind and/stupid, and seemed to "wish to push his, beak jaloug in front of him on the ground”: The npcfc gradually fell ihte a state of complete, coma,! being unable to fecbgnise sunouncling’ .objects, and the worst results were anticipated. ,As a last resource he-was dosed 1 with a quid of tobacco, and was laid down as it happened,' but not intentionally, with. his head' reclining near a water puddle. ■ Tii about five'minutes he ;began! to drink vigorously from the puddle, still- tying on his side ' and apparently quite blind, j Ten minutes later he lifted, himself on , his legs and staggered into" the" 'chicken-house, Vvherel he remained in retirement .for nearly two hours, When he emerged from the shed, strutting about in perfect health" in company with other fowls. Xu due course of time he was killed and eaten, when he proved to be as fat and healthy as any of his mates. Many .other cases arc recorded of wonderful cures effected! oh fowls by doses of tabacco, which shouldhe given in large quids about the size of the first joint of a'man's thumb. The testimony to the-medicinal value of'tbbaoodj ’libwever painful to those who pronounce it to be a slow poison, and. are. never tired of assailing it with opprobrious epithets (such as the noxious weed, &c.), is worthy of:note, as it may turnout that instead of being a deadly drug it is a .valuable remedial agent! deserving encouragement rather than suppression, and a boon to humanity, removing many of those ills which flesh is heir to. Its use in the poultry yard is more common' than is generally known, to judge by the. flavor of chickens now supplied !by poulterers. ".The flavor of the “drumstick" is'ofteU remarkably similar tb that of'an-old clay pipe. ~l ... ■: .■ - ■ 1