UNKNOWN

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 277, 30 June 1888, Page 6

UNKNOWN

A rounr-si'oxniAT says her fo\vl«, or rather =ome ot them, are aft'ected with sore eye&, which are swollen, becoming finally covered with r -cabs, making the birds totally blind. Their appetite keeps up, and they would eat as long a^ they could .stand if they could see to pick up the food. She uishe to know what the disease is and the bes cmc for ifc In reply we may fivsvt tell her that the disease is roup, which affects fowls in various forms and degrees of .severity. It has been held by scientific men to be a form of diphtheria, and is very contagious. We have fiequently described the malady in Tiik Fuimek and described the treatment to be pursued to cure it. Wheie the fowls are fa,r gone, and not specially valuable a<* perfect specimens of a puic bleed, no prefer k> attack the dKca.sc with a tomahawk and a chopping block. In other words the best plan is to put the fowl out of its misery v ith a " short, sharp shock." There are various cures recommended and as good a recipe as any is the following :— For the .scabs on the eyes and head, u.se a lotion composed of one part carbolic acid, two parta spirits ot turpentine, and six parts glyceiine. Touch the scab? lightly two or thiee times a flay. (Jive light and nourishing food, and once daily a ha«h made of equal parts of raw fresh meat, onions and scalded bran. And into the d? inking water, which should be fresh daily, add a teaspoonful of spirit.s of turpentine to the quart. And for a preventive, arrange the fowl-house so that the fowls will have a free circulation of air, and not be exposed to a draught. We have found simple washing of the head and neck with a solution ot strong carbolic soap sufficient to cure ordinary cases. The above recipe is the accepted treatment amongst many poultry fanciers, but we phould strongly recommend a trial of Eucalyptus essence a as cure for roup, its extraordinary curative efficacy in diphtheria of human beings indicating it as a valuable and probably an all-sufficient [ remedy. We should paint the sores with the Eucalyptus, and make the birds inhale the I steam of boiling water to which some of the essence had been added. The cause of roup is generally cold and damp quarters, and inattention to cleanliness in fche fowlhouse, or overcrowding of fowls in acircumFcribed space. The disease often begins with the symptoms of a simple cold, a little white froth in tho corner of the eye beintr the first indication of anything being wrong with the bird. Proper treatment at this stage will always avert serious results.