several serious diseases, but these cannot be detected with any certainty while the bird is living, and treatment cannot be recommended as likely to be successful. Postmortem examination may show the following symptoms:

1. The heart sac full of serous liquid, in the case of pericarditis, or dropsy of the heart sac.

2. A reddening of the membrane lining the heart, in the case of inflammation (endocarditis).

3. An enlarged heart, in the case of enlargement of the heart.

4. Hemorrhage, in the case of rupture of the heart and of the blood vessels.

INDIGESTION

Disorder of the intestinal tract, that is not very serious

Symptoms. The bird mopes and shows signs of a capricious appetite. Either diarrhea or, less commonly, constipation, may be a symptom.

Cause. Disorders of the digestive tract, due to error in dieting-for example, overfeeding, or too little green food and not enough exercise.

Treatment. Alter the feeding, see that the water is clean, and give a dose of Epsom salts. (See page 9.)

JAUNDICE

Not a common disease

Symptoms. A yellow comb may indicate jaundice, but there are no definite external symptoms. Post-mortem examination shows distention of the gall bladder, due to an excessive secretion of bile.

Cause. Said to be due to continued congestion of the liver, arising possibly from too much heat-giving food.

Treatment. If the disease is suspected, give one grain of calomel as a purgative and feed on more green food.

KIDNEY DISEASES

With the exception of gout, kidney diseases cannot be detected by external symptoms

Gout (see page 63) is the commonest dis

ease of the kidneys. In addition, there are some disorders of the kidneys (e. g., enlargement) that may be noticed on postmortem examination. Little is known about these diseases; there are no symptoms that can be recognized before death, and no treatment can be recommended.

LEG WEAKNESS

Constitutional weakness, to which the heavier breeds are more subject than are the lighter ones

Symptoms. Fowls walk in an unsteady manner, without showing any specific cause for lameness. Young birds are more likely to be affected in this manner, particularly those of the heavier breeds.

Cause. Too rapid growth, the bird outgrowing the strength of its legs.

Treatment. Reduce the quantity of fatproducing foods. Care in the selection of breeding stock is important.

LICE

Invariably present in small numbers, and likely to become a serious pest, if not persistently controlled

Symptoms. Unthrifty look of fowl and

signs of irritation; desertion of nest by setting hens; and, of course, the detection of lice on the fowl: this may be done by

quickly turning over the feathers on the body and looking for the lice.

Cause. Introduction of an infested

fowl; neglect to dust fowls regularly to keep down lice, and to clean out fowl houses and change the straw of nest boxes. At the season that lice are likely to be most prevalent the poultryman should take precautionary

measures.

Description of lice. Lice are small insects ranging in size from 1-25 to 1-8 of an inch. They breed rapidly, laying their eggs on the feathers. They are not blood-sucking insects, but cause much irritation to the birds they infest.

Several species are found on fowls. Fig. 14 shows three of the common species.

Treatment. Dust fowls

FIG. 14. THREE LICE with fresh insect powder

(pyrethrum). Smear Smear sul

b, Menopon pallidum. phur ointment on head and

c, Goniodes dissimilis.