poultry doctor - forgotten books
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P R EFACE.
I N actual money value, the products of poultry rais
ing, including eggs, surpasses that of many ambitious
industries and is surpassed by few, if any, in the world ,be they agricu ltura l or manufacturing. Notwithstand
ing the great aggregate va lue of pou ltry,but l ittle at
tention has been pa id to the medica l treatm ent of the
i l ls of fowl s, wh ich are many,and what l ittle they have
received has too often been of such a nature that they
wou ld have been better w ithout it. This,however
,is
not surprising, for as long as men are ignorant of, or
deny the truth of,homoeopathy
,the great and on ly law
of cure,so long w i l l they be incapable of formu lating
any system of medicine appl icable to all diseas es,
whether of man ,beast or fow l . H omoeopathy offers to
pou ltry ra isers a system of medicine for their fow ls
which is exceedingly efficacious, involves l ittle labor
and trifl ing expense. That system w i l l be found de
ta i led in this book . What imperfections may be found,
must not be charged to homoeopathy, but to imperfect
iv P REFACE .
knowledge of the diseases of fowls. I f symptoms can
be clearly described,homoeopathy w i l l surely supply the
remedy.
To Mr. P . H . Jacobs,of Hammonton
,N. J the wel l
known editor of the P oultry Keeper, and an extens ive
breeder of fine pou ltry,thanks are due for ass istance
rendered in classifying and accurately describing many
of the di seases treated in this book .
PART I.
HOMCEOPATHY AND ITS METHOD S .
S im ilia S im ilibu s C u rantu r .
IT has been said with truth that all subj ects which
arouse men, and cause them to divide into great con
tending parties, sooner or later crystal l ize into a word,or a terse apothegm
, wh ich contains a great truth .
For a century homoeopathy has excited keen interes t
and been fiercely fought. I ts scope is as wide as disease
and the cure thereof, yet is a ll crystal l ized in Similia
S imilibus Owrantur. L ike C ures L ike. As with all
great truths a chi ld may comprehend, and a w ise man
study it a l ifetime,and then rea lize that the unexplored
fields are vas t and the possibi l ities in them,for thewel
fare ofman and beast, almost l imitless. Homoeopathy’s
work wi l l cease only when disease no longer haunts the
earth.
8 THE P OU LTR Y D OCTOR.
I llu s t rat ion s .
L ike C ures L ike,&
not the Same cures the Same
mark wel l the difference. P erhaps the pla inest i l lustra
t ion of this great natura l L aw— for H omoeopathy is as
much a L aw as Grav itation— may be found in the wel l
known cure for a frosted ear,namely
,rubbing it w ith
a handfu l of snow. Snow is not frost,but very much
like it. L ike C ures L i ke .
C inchona, or as it is known in homoeopathy, China , if
taken in large doses w i l l produce, not chi l ls and fever,but symptoms almost their exact cou nterpart ; it w i l l
also cause excess ive weakness, resembl ing that caused
by loss of blood . China. rel ieves both these symp
toms .
Arnica, if taken in strong doses, w i l l cause a sore and
bruised sensation, and,as all know
, when external ly
appl ied wil l cure bru ises and concussions ; and, further
more, as all do not know, it w i l l rel ieve the bad effects
from a concussion,blow
,or fa l l sti l l better if taken in
smal l doses,inwardly as wel l as appl ied outwardly.
Aconi te w i l l cause,among many other symptoms,
that feverish condition wh ich all experience at the
beginn ing of a bad cold,and Aconite taken at once
w i l l cure almost any cold . L et these few i l lustra
tions suffice, though the l ist m ight be extended to
THE P OULTRY D OCTOR. 9
enormous length. L i ke C ures L i ke : therein l ies the
entire secret ofmedicine. Ski l l in appl ication is obtained
by the study of the symptoms of the sick man or
beast and of theMateria llfedz'
ca .
Ma ter ia Med i ca .
A concise Materia Medica of the remedies prescribed
in this book wi l l be found on its last pages,and a study
of this part is recommended to all who wou ld be suc
cessful in treating the a i lments of their fowls. This
Materia Medica. is a record of the symptoms produced
by the drug taken in excess ive doses by men in a state
of health.
The classification of diseases is,at best
,but mere
genera l ization . Take,for instance
,
“ colds ; a dozen
people may come together, each suffering from a cold,&
yet the symptoms of no two of them be exac tly al ike.
So w ith the diseases of fow ls described in this book ;
each one is named as well as may be, and the best
known remedy prescribed,and it may be adm in istered,
as a rule,with great profit in the saving of the l i ves of
poultry, yet an intel l igent study of the symptoms of the
affected fowls, and comparison of them w ith those of
the difi'
erent medicines, w i l l greatly aid in the work .
10 TH E P OUL TRY D OCTOR .
Adm in ist rat ion of R em ed ies .
The easiest way of adm in istering the medicine is to
d issolve two or three dozen pel lets in a clean dish
of pure water,and let the fow l s drink it at w i l l .
I f the disease is of an epidem ic nature,l ike R oup or
Cholera,i t is wel l to let them ’ all at i t
,for
,given the
correct remedy,i t w i l l cure the sick and prevent those
sti l l apparently wel l from developing the disease.
Another method and a good one,in View of the fact
that ch ickens are nearly a lways ready to eat,is to d is
solve the medicine in pure water and m ix the water
w ith corn-mea l or moist food , and feed it to the flock,
or the ind ividual fow l,as the case may be . Another
method is to mo isten a bit of white bread in the med i
cated water,by which means a few fow l s may be
treated w ithout the trouble of separating them from the
flock . They can be driven as ide and fed .
As a rule, where the a i lment is confined to one,or a
few,of the fowls
,it is better to keep them apart from
the others, where they can be treated w ith more care.
The pel lets can be given dry also, wh ich is an excel lent
method , if practicable. H omoeopath ic med icines maya lso be had in l iqu id form
,in which case from five to
ten drops in water constitute a dose . Many people prefer them in l iqu id form .
THE P OULTRY D OCTOR. 11
After two days,if there is no marked improvement
,
select some other remedy ; the chances are that the indi
cated one has not been chosen,for the true homoeo
pathic remedy acts very quickly on fowls and an imals— qu icker
,indeed
,than on mank ind— as fowls and an i
mals do not injure their constitutions by unnatural l i v
ing. When there is a marked improvement , discon
tinne the medicine,and do not resume it unless there are
signs of a relapse . Too much medicine has been the
bane of man and beast.
H ow to Keep H om oeopath ic Med ic ines .
Keep them wel l corked . D o not let the vial s stand
around open . Keep the v ials in a box, in some place
about the house where they are not exposed to undue
influences of any sort. After the pel lets are taken
from the vial,do not put any of them back aga in .
K eep them protected from the sun-l ight .
H ow to P rocu re H om e opath ic Med ic ines .
Tha best way, of course,is to go to a homoeopathic
pharmacy and buy them if th is is not conven ient, send
twenty-five cents for each remedy wanted , to the ad
dress of some wel l—known homoeopathic pharmacy, with
the name of the remedy pla in ly written— printed, if
12 TH E P OULTRY D OCTOR .
you doubt the legibil ity of your penma‘
nsh ip— and a
good sized v ial w i l l be ma iled,postpa id, and securely
packed . I f there is a homoeopathic physician in the
neighborhood,he w il l no doubt be glad to sel l you the
requ ired remedy .
H omoeopathic med icines may a lso be obtained from
some druggists ; but in such cases it m ust be insisted on
that the v ials bear the labels of a homoeopath ic phar
macy— they are all sealed w ith a metal l ic capsu le when
put up for druggists’trade
,and have the firm
’
s name
preparing them blown on the v ial . There is good
reason for this caution . The two schools work under
different pharmacopoeias,and the average druggist
knows l ittle or nothing of the preparation and dynam
i z ation of homoeopathic medic ines . Another,and a
very urgent,reason for this caution is that homoeopathy
deals w ith very active poisons wh ich,by the process of
preparation,are rendered harm less for injury
,un less
taken in oft-repeated and long-continued doses,wh i le
sti ll retaining all their curati ve powers . This leads us
to the subject of
D y nam iz at ion or P otent iat ion .
I t is,unfortunately
,a common error to suppose that
homoeopathy means smal l doses and nothing more .
TH E P OUL TRY D OCTOR. 13
I-Iomoeopathy—L ike C ures L ike—esays nothing about
the size of the dose . I n the early days,large doses were
g iven unti l it was noticed that there were aggrava
tions & — drug symptoms— before cure,though the cure
fol lowed . This led to a reduction of the size of the
dose . I n doing this the drugs were m inutely subdi
v ided,and then the wonderfu l d iscovery was made that
sma l l doses reduced to atoms whi le m ingled w ith m i lk
s ugar or alcohol were far more potent for cure than
when adm in istered in a cruder state. They had been
potentized, t.e.
,made more powerfu l in d isease
,and
,at
the same time,rendered comparati vely harm less for evi l
if taken by m istake , by means of the smal l dose. That
this theory of potentiation is correct can eas i ly be
demonstrated by the fact that men have swa l lowed
leaden bu l lets or shot and experienced no bad resu lts,
wh i le every one knows that if the same quantity of
lead,reduced to thefinest powder
,were to be swal lowed
,
the most terrible consequences wou ld ensue .
T h e T ru th of H om ceopa thy .
The crucial test of every scheme of medic ine is its
resu l t w ith the sick . I n this respect homoeopathy leads
all competitors ; indeed, truly v iewed,it has no com
petitors, for it is the great Natura l L aw of C ure, whi le
14 TH E P OULTRY D OCTOR .
others are but man’s experiments
,ever shifting and
changing ; taken up as wonders and then dropped as
useles s . P leuro—pneumon ia in cattle is pronounced in
curable by the dom inant school,and the government
orders all the affl icted an imals to be slaughtered , yet
homoeopathy cou ld save nearly every case,as has been
repeatedly demonstrated . Homoeopaths have secured
many a fine bargain in horses,buying an an imal
, pro
nounced incurable by some old school veterinarian, and
curing him . The large horse-car compan ies in almost
every city have adopted homoeopath ic treatment.
W e w i l l close this branch of our subject by giving
the statistics of an epidem ic of comparati vely recent
date, to i l lustrate the differences between the two schools.
D uring the epidem ic of yel low fever in the southern
States in 1878, the al lopaths treated cases,of
which died ; a death rate of At the same
time the homoeopathic practit ioners treated 3914 cases
of the same disease,of which 261 died ; a death rate of
I n many of the southern States,by means of
unjust medica l legislation,the a l lopaths have obtained
sole control, and they refuse to perm it homoeopaths to
practice . This accounts for the great disparity in the
numbers treated .
Medica l legislation is a subject of vital importance to
THE P OULTRY D OCTOR . 15
the people,and they should see to it that no medical
monopoly is granted. These laws, on thei r face,look
very plausible,and cla im to protect the publ ic,
&but
even quacks cou ld not have made a worse showing
than that of the regular & profession in the epidemic
of 1878.
PART 11.
SOME P RACTICAL H INTS .
TH ERE are a good many books on the general man
agement of poultry . All of them contain some good
matter and , a lso, much that is impractica l and even
useless,or worse . The most of them seem to take it for
granted that every pou ltry raiser can devote a great
dea l of his time to the care Of his fow ls . They seem to
be constantly addressing men who make pou ltry ra ising
their sole business , whereas the number who do so com
pared w ith those to whom it is merely an incidenta l
part of farm life, are as one to many thousands . It is
to the larger class that this book is addressed,and our
a im is to give here on ly such h ints as may be easi lyacted upon . Those who fol low poultry ra ising as a
business, perhaps know more on the subject of the care
of fow ls than the book writers do, but many of them
have much to learn in the treatment of the diseases of
pou l try .
18 THE P OUL TRY D OCTOR.
over night . The same ru le appl ies to all an imals . I n
this matter,
“ directions & are not needed,but on ly a
l ittle common sense flavored w ith human ity .
Another para l lel between man and hen : I n the
human fami ly the mortal ity is greatest in infancy, and
&so it is in the hen fami ly . Somemortal ity in both fam i
l ies is unavoidable,but much in both may be avoided
by a l ittle extra care . To be trite,prevention i s better
than cure . At the very dawn of its existence the young
chick mostly needs warmth. I f this warmth be com
bined w ith moisture the death-rate must rise ; therefore
D ame P artlett and her brood should be caged in some
place protected from the wet ground and the ra in,and
the dame w i l l prov ide the warmth. Furthermore,keep
the cage clean . I t is not much trouble,and it pays . W ho
has not seen a cage w ith its floor an inch thick w ith dirt
and the whole sodden by having thepan of water spil led
over it & Better let them run than be caged w ith such
a mess. Another point— but i t involves a l ittle care ;who has not seen a hen w ith her chicks tra i led out
behind her making their way through the wet grass of
early morn ing & Each l ittle fuzzy beggar is draggled
up to his neck and looks,and is
,no doubt
,thoroughly
miserable. The hen ought to have better sense,but she
hasn’t. I f she and her brood could be kept confined
TH E P OULTRY D OCTOR. 19
unti l the grass were dry it wou ld be better for the l ittle
ones .
Mr. Judd,in his book on pou ltry
,makes some good
points on thefeeding of very young chickens . He very
strenuously objects to thecommon Indian,or corn
,meal
dough that constitutes the sole food of so many young
chicks . I t is tumbled out to them,and if not all eaten
a l lowed to stand unti l it is eaten it usual ly sours,the
chicks,perforce
,must eat it, as nothing else is prov ided ,
and then they sicken and die. Mr. Judd says F or
thefirst morn ing mea l I give all my young stock bo i led
potatoes mashed up fine and m ixed w ith an equa l quan
tity of Indian meal and shorts . I find nothing so good
and acceptabl e as this food,and I use only smal l and
unmarketable potatoes they prove more profitable than
anything else I can employ.
& Th is food is fol lowed
w ith fine cracked corn . But whatever is fed to the
young chicks the gist of thematter is,do not feed them
anything that has turned sta le or sour.
&
T here is death
in such a mess , and it is economy to throw it away .
We know that w ild and domestic animals requ i re
salt,and from this it wou ld seem right to assume that
fowl s requ ire it too, though the want appears not so
pressing in their case . I t is sa id that fowls who eat
their own feathers cease to do so when given salt. H ow
20 THE P OULTRY D OCTOR .
salt shou ld be given them is an open question . I n sal t
ing food the danger is in excess . Too much salt for
man or beast w i l l result in sickness, and very bad
sickness at that. Salt in large quantities seems to be
fata l to pou ltry,but may safely be used to season the
food .
What the wash-bow l or bath-tub is to man, a d ust
pile,dust-box or dust in some shape is to the hen . I t
doesn’t look l ike a very clean ly way of perform ing the
toi let,but it is her way, and chicken ra isers w i l l do
well to see that thedust-bath is provided in some shape .
I t is supposed that th is bath is a means of ridding the
feathers of l ice m ixing a l ittle insect powder w ith the
dust w i l l aid in this. Some authorities prefer fine sand
to dust. I f the hens w i l l use it,sand seems better than
dust. F ine ashes are a lso recommended .
L et the ch ickens get at corn—stalks in w inter,occa
sionally ; it helps in the as sim i lation of food . Sca lded
cl over hay , however, is better and furn ishes an excel
lent substitute for green food,but it must be finely
chopped .
On ions chopped up are eagerly eaten by fowls, andare excel lent for their hea lth
,especia l ly if their eyes are
not in good condition .
D ried tobacco leaves in the nest of a setting hen keeps
THE POULTRY D OCTOR. 21
i t cl ear of vermin,and adds greatly to her comfort and
that of her young when hatched .
C hickens fatten best when given a fu ll feed j ust
before going to roost,and the first thing in themorn
ing.
A dry floor may be obta ined by digging out the
earth and replacing it a foot deep w ith sand.
A hen’s laying capacity reaches its highest point in
her second year, and then begins to dec l ine.
I n reserving cocks for breed ing purposes, keep those
that are themost active and v igorous .
There shou ld be at least one cock to eight hens ; one
drake to four or five ducks ; one gobbler to ten turkey
hens,and one gander to two geese.
D o not let fowls inbreed too long or the result w i l l
be loss of eggs and deterioration of the flock .
Where poultry is a l l owed the run of a farm there is
no danger of over-feeding, but there is w ith yarded
poul try which gets no exerc ise these especia l ly requi re
variety.
One great secret of successfu l turkey ra ising is regu
lar feeding during the fa l l and w inter in one place.
This makes them tame and prevents that tendency to
wander off in summer and breed , which is innate in'
the turkey .
22 THE P OUL TRY D OCTOR.
D uring fly-time a flock of turkeys w i l l easi ly l i ve
on insects,such as grasshoppers
,etc.
,and are
,therefore,
valuable in two senses, but it is not wel l to ra ise them
un less they can have a. w ide range. When confined
they easily eat their heads off.&
D ucks do not eat more,if fed regu larly
,than other
fow ls of their size,and w i l l be marketable at four
months age, and the large breeds may be made to attain
five pounds when ten or twel ve weeks old neither do
they requ ire a pond or stream,but may be ra ised where
chickens can be raised ; they requ ire plenty of good
drinking water and some pasturage. A stream or pond
of water, of course,is an advantage .
P ou ltry does well under woman’s care,and is very
profitable . A lady writes that in one year,after having
furn ished her own table w ith nearly a hundred fowls,
and w ith all the eggs needed,she was enabled to sel l
considerably over one hundred dol lars worth of eggs
and fowls . The cash out lay bringing in this return
was about twenty-five dol lars .
Chickens ought to have a house for w inter,even if
it consists merely of a few boards nai led together,a
mere shanty, l ined w ith paper. The cost of such a shed
wi l l be sl ight,but it wi l l pay .
Barren, sandy patches about the farm can be profit
THE P OULTRY D OCTOR.
‘
23
ably employed as poultry ranges . Fowls are freer from
d isease on a sandy soil and wi l l ferti l ize it to a consider
able extent.
I f possible,don ’
t have any green, sl imy pools of
water about. They are bad for man and hen .
Give fow ls and anima ls all the l ight possible . L ight
and pure air are health givers . D arkness and disease
are al l ies .
P lough or spade the poultry yard at times ; it keeps
the earth clean and tends to promote the health of the
fow ls.
Chicken powders & and advertised compounds pro
m ise all sorts of wonder working . L ittle or nothing
is known of them . I f “stimu lating
,remember that
stimu lants act on animals as on men— feel good for a
whi le and then not. Good food is all a fow l needs in
hea lth and the ind icated hommopathic remedy in
disease .
Whether charcoal , asafoetida , Cayenne pepper, etc .
,
are good to“ promote hea lth
,
& is a very wide,open
question . Some bel ieve in them— we don’t .
PART III.
THE TREATMENT OF D ISEASES .
P rel im inary R em ark s .
THE RE are no col leges established for the study of
the diseases of pou ltry , and there are no graduated
pou ltry physicians, and , outs ide of homoeopathy, there is
l ittle,if any, bel ief in the efficacy of medicine in treat
ing the i l ls of feathered creat ion. Indeed, an eminent
authorit-y'
on poul try rather drearily remarks : “ I t is
a lmost useless, and rarely ever worth while, to treat
sick pou ltry.
’This is true if no treatment
,but what,
for the sake of d istinction,may be termed al lopathic
,
is known,but it is not true ifhomoeopathy be employed .
I n the latter case, the labor involved is next to nothing,
the expense very slight,whi le the treatment is highly
effective,as has been demonstrated in thousands of cases
,
and this most markedly so in epidemic diseases which
carry off entire flocks.
One of the greatest d ifficul ties to overcome in writ
26 THE P OULTRY D OCTOR.
inary purposes from those used in treating human
ailments .
The number found follow ing the name of the remedy
on the vial,as
“Arsenicum 6 , refers to the potency.
Minerals,l ike arsen ic
,are usual ly sold in the sixth
potency and others in the third .
Apoplexy .
This disease, as w ith men, is caused by over-feed ing,
and occurs with all classes of pou ltry when in a very
fat cond ition. The bird affl icted staggers and fa lls its
breath comes heavy and short,and somewhat resembles
snoring ; eyes protrud ing, staring and general ly highly
bloodshot. It is frequent to find apoplectic birds dead
under the roost,when they were apparently in excel lent
heal th. Open the bird ’s mouth and give it half a dozen
pel lets of Belladonna . O ther remedies are Aconite,Nux vomi ca and Pulsatilla . Nux vomica may even
be better than Aconite.
As thm a .
Canary and other singing birds are often troubled
w ith asthma . The breath ing is easi ly heard, and espe
cially after the exertion of flying. Corallium rubrum,
a half dozen pellets d issolved in the water-cup effects a
THE P OUL TRY D OC TOR. 27
speedy cure. Spongia. is also indicated ; a lso Ipecac,in case of too much flesh
,and Bryonia. in asthmatic
panting of old age. A l ittle planta in seed is said to
aid recovery in obstinate cases . This disease is Often
m istaken for roup.
B one-w en .
This disease has a lways been deemed incurable, but
where homoeopathy is employed a cure is possible,if
not probable . Isolate the affl icted fow l and dissolve six
pel lets ofHepar sulphuris in its water d ish every dayfor a week
,un less marked improvement sets in sooner.
I f at the end of the week no change is noticeable change
the med icine to Sili cea,same dose each day . O ther
remed ies areNitric acid , Galcarea carb . and Su lphur .
When changing remedy it may be wel l to give the last
named for one day before follow ing w ith the new
remedy .
B lack -rot .
I n th is d isease the comb turns a blackish color,legs
may swel l and emac iation accompanies. Bad food and
unhea lthy surround ings seem to be the cause remedy
these and give Thuja . The true remedy for this disease
is problematical,depend ing on the cause of the disease.
Nux vomi ca may be cal led for and Podophyllum, if
28 THE P OULTRY D OCTOR .
the seat of the derangement be the stomach or l iver
respectively.
B rok en B ones .
When bones are broken in fowls one can readi ly see
at a glance what is the trouble if it be a leg bone . With
other bones a break can be detected by exam ination
on ly , when a swell ing w i l l appear over the broken bone
wh ich is ev idently painfu l to the touch . These usua l ly
heal themsel ves if the fow l is kept qu iet. A compound
fracture is beyond the ski l l of most people,but a simple
break is not. Bring the broken parts gently but firm ly
together,bind w ith l inen bandages and hold in place
by a couple of appropriate sized spl ints . Moisten the
l inen frequently w ith a lotion of one part tincture of
Symphytum m ixed w ith five parts water. H ow long
the treatment is to continue must depend on the cond i
tion of the fracture,and that
,the one having charge of
the case a lone,can decide . After the operation give the
patient one dose of Aconite,say three pel lets in the
mouth and at the expiration of a week put six pel lets
ofHepar Sulph . in the water for one dav only .
B um b le F oot .
This is caused by the foot getting hurt in some way ,
bru ised , or possibly a sl i ver run in it. I t is often the
THE P OULTRY D OCTOR. 29
result of high roosts,the feet being inj ured when jump
ing therefrom , especial ly if the bird is heavy . Thehurt
part swells, becomes inflamed , pus forms, which in time
grows hard and cheesy-l ike . The treatment is to wash
the hurt clean,see that no foreign substance rema ins in
it,then bathe in a lotion of one part Calendula. tincture
to five parts water,and bind up the foot as neatly as
possible and keep bandage wet with the lotion or,in
place of bind ing the foot anoint it w ith Calendula.
cerate, or l otion, and keep thefowl on clean straw . After
operation give Hepar sulph . if hurt has not gathered
if it has,g ive Silicea . D uring the few days necessary
for hea l ing,the fowl shou ld be kept caged in a clean
place .C h icken -pox .
Some writers designate th is d isease smal l-pox.
& I t
is known by blotches on the comb and neck and pus
tu les under the w ings and feathers genera l ly, whi le the
fow ls seem weak and melancholy . Homoeopathically
treated it is not dangerous. The disease is contagious ,and the s ick shou ld be separated from the well
,though
if the flock is pretty generally attacked let the treatment
extend to all. The treatment consists in disso lv ing from
one to three dozen pel lets of Arsenicum, according as a
few or many are affl icted, in the drinking water. C on
30 TH E P OULTRY D OCTOR.
tinne for three days . I f no improvement is noticed
change the remedy to Rhus tox. R enew the medicine
each day, using fresh pure water. Also indicated , Bella.
donna. w ith hot fever. Si li cea. ifpustules “ break .
&
C h ip.
Chip or“ch ipping & derives its name from the
pecul iar cry or sound made by the bird,and it is prin
cipally attributed to lack of warmth,or exposure to
cold draughts (sometimes from the top venti lator) . I t is
confined ch iefly,if not entirely
,to young chickens
,and is
caused by wet weather,the l ight down on the l ittle fel
lows getting wet and having no chance to dry. I t is
very fata l if not taken in time . C hickens affl icted w ith
chip & seek refuge in sol itary places where they are de
tected by the regu lar and plaintive cry , and general ly re
main there until they d ie ; they exhibit tenderness on
being touched,and perceptible fever
,a lthough they
tremble violently as though cold . I f possible they
shou ld be given dry shelter and warmth . A number of
remedies are indicated in this d isease,so many
,indeed
,
that it is difficu lt to decide which to give the preference.
I t is best,perhaps
,to begin w ith Veratrum as that
remedy “ has external chi l l w ith internal heat,
a most
distressing feeling . A dozen or more pellets d issolved
THE P OULTRY D OCTOR. 31
in the drinking water,or
,if they w i l l not drink
,dip a
l ittle white bread in thewater and let them eat it if they
w i l l . Among theother remed ies areArsenicum, Acon
ite, D ulcamara. and Col chicum, the last named being
preferred by some authorities. Gi ve the selected remedy
twenty hours trial,and if there is no improvement
,
change to one of the others named .
C h o lera .
I t was frequently observed at the times and places
when cholera was epidemic among human beings that
ch ickens,turkeys
,geese and farmyard fow ls general ly
,
became in many instances sim i larly affected . At the
present day the word “cholera & is appl ied to an epi
dem ic which whi le varying somewhat in different parts
of the country is a lways accompanied by a v iolent
diarrhoea , and is very fata l . Some of the characteristics
of thi s disease are : Sad looks,lost appetite
,weakness,
staggering, th irst, hanging heads ; in more advanced
stages a tough mucus trickled from the bil ls,which
hang so low as to touch the ground , the comb becomes
shrunken and of a bluish color,whi le the diarrhoea is
v iolent and almost l iquid,yel lowish or green ish
,frothy
as the end approaches the eyes close . Being an epidemic
it i s wel l to treat the entire flock, though if the sick can
32 TH E P OULTRY D OC TOR.
be isolated so much the better. European writers highly
commend Veratrum alb .,both as curative and as pre
venting the spread of the d isease. D issol ve anywhere
from two dozen pel lets to half the vial (according to size .
of flock) in water given the fowls to drink, or take part
of thewater and moisten thei r food w ith i t . Arseni cum
is a l so qu ite as valuable in cholera ; the symptoms of
both remed ies bear great resemblance, Arsenicum being
indicated in the second stage where there is great pros
tration.
Arsenicum iod . (iod ide of arseni c) has by cl in ical
experience proved effective, as the fol lowing experience
reported by D r. R obert Boocock in theNorth American
Journal of Homwopathy shows Chick en Cholera .
I can fu l ly endorse the curative power of I odide ofArsenic in certa in forms of hum id asthma
,having been
successful in a few cases . I want to speak of this med i
cine as a means of curing the summer compla ints we
often meet during the hot weather. Two years ago I
lost almost all my chickens by chicken cholera. L ast
summer a new lot ofhens and chickens began to die off
by the same disease,and I thought it a good chance to
try Arsenicum iod. 3 . I m ixed about two pounds ofmea l
w ith two drachms of the remedy,and left themixture in
the chicken house for them to take at wi l l . It cured
34 TH E P OULTRY D OCTOR.
only resul t in a ltering the character of the disease with
out eradicating it. Opium is another remedy for con
stipation, indicated when there is no urg ing .
C on tu s ions .
I f a fowl gets a severe blow or hurt in which no
bones are broken, bathe the hurt w ith a lotion of one
part Arni ca tincture to twenty parts water,and put a
few drops of the water in the fow l’s mouth. Arnica.
should never be appl ied to man or beast undi luted . It
acts better when diluted .
C on sumpt ion .
This disease in fowls seems to be pretty much the
same as in human beings— bad heredity or resulting
from a cold which is a l lowed to run on w ithout care .
There is a cough, the fowl seems to eat wel l,yet grows
emaciated . Incurable is the genera l verdict, a ver
dict which no bel iever in homoeopathy should admit to
be true, even though he cannot, w ith his present know l
edge, name the proper remedy. This consumption of
the lungs must be distingu ished from the consump
tion & spoken of under Marasmus.& I n both there
is a wasting away, but the seat of the trouble is d iffer
ent. This is a d isease that is sometimes classed in the
THE P OULTRY D OCTOR. 35
R oup family of ai lments . R emed ies can but be suggested : Hepar sulph . and
“
Spongia on alternate days
may cure, or Oalcarea. carb ., given alone.
C ore.
C ore consists of the formation of an excrescence in
the gu l let or al vine passage. I t is general ly browni sh
yel low in color, but varies in this respect. Arsenicum ,
Mercurius and Sili cea. are the three remed ies mostly
ind icated . The d isease is d ifficu lt to detect owing to
its situation .
C ory za or C a tarrh .
This is not at all an uncommon complaint,and it
causes considerable losses,being also one of the difficul
ties sometimes classed as R oup. With pigeons it often
occurs during mou lting, and is contagious, and some
times plays havoc in the pigeon roost. P igeons suffer
ing from coryza keep their bil ls open, and a yel low
lookingmucus may be seen in the nostrils themouth
also looks yellow . I f the disease is noticed in t ime,
remove the infected bird , but if a number are affected,
it is better to treat the whole lot. Mercurius Viv .w i l l
general ly cure a dozen pellets d issolved in clean drink
ing water, or the water used in mixing soft food . Con
t inne unti l cured, or if no improvement is noticeable in
36 THE P OUL TRY D OCTOR .
a few days,change the remedy to Acidum sulph .
,in
same way .
I n hens,coryza is general ly caused by catch ing cold
in continuous wet weather , or by very sudden changes
in the weather. I t is characterized by an increased
discharge from the nostri ls and sneezing . At times it
is epidemic . Arsenicum w i l l usual ly give prompt
rel ief. A dozen or more pel lets dissolved in the drink
ing water, or in ha lf a tumbler of water, and then this
m ixed w ith mea l or used to moisten bread . Arseni
cum fai l ing,give Mercurius Viv ; Shou ld the dis
charge thicken and the eyes seem affected,give
,in same
manner,Euphrasia . Should the coryza occur from
dry,cold winds
,Aconite is the remedy .
Coryza is particularly dangerous w ith turkeys. The
turkey seems uneasy,trembles
,an acrid
,sl imy dis
charge comes from the nostri ls and the eyes grow dim .
I f possible, separate the sick turkey from the well ones,
and adm in ister to it Acidum sulph . or Mercurius
Viv . As w ith pigeons,the d isease seems to attack the
turkeys during mou lting time .
H . F isher, V. S . of Berl in,reports the complete and
satisfactory cure of a va luable parrot who was suffering
from a bad coryz a or catarrh. The bird ate l ittle and
breathed with a rasping sound,and was ev idently suf
THE P OULTRY D OCTOR . 37
fering from a bad cold . D ulcamara and Hepar sulph . ,
in alternation twice a day soon removed the trouble.
Hepar sulphur is the best remedy when there has
been partial rel ief from other remedies but not complete
cure.
Gelsemium is an excel lent remedy for catarrh in
curred during warm,moist
,relaxing weather.
Catarrh or coryza in fowl s must be distinguished
from roup,as a common bad “
cold & is d istingu ished
from croup or d iphtheria in human beings . The dis
charge from the nostri ls of fowls in catarrh is thinner
and not offensive,and i s accompanied w ith sneezing
and cough ing,whi le in roup the discharge is thick and
very offensive. Cold,catarrh
,coryza
,roup and pip are
all more or less related to each other.
C ough .
Turkeys are often affl icted w ith a cough resulting
from smal l red worms in the w indpipe. The disease
seems to be the same as gapes in ch ickens,and cal ls
for the same medication, i .e.
,D ulcamara and Drosera ,
in a lternation w ith Sulphur, to complete the cure . For
externa l treatment, see gapes .&
D iarrh e a and D y sentery .
Whi le resembl ing, in some respects, cholera, these
38'
THE P OUL TRY D OCTOR.
a i lments are essentia l ly qu ite different. The discharges
are copious, sometimes bloody, the feathers about the
anus befouled and'
the fowl out of condition, though not
is anso greatly prostrated as in cholera . Scouring
other name for the trouble. All fowls are subject to
it. The cause is damp,cold weather ; cold on the
stomach ; brooding in damp, cold stables ; feeding on
nox ious berries or plants ; eating too many worms ; over
feeding,also want of l ime or gravel necessary to the
digestion of hens. Ipecac . is the chief remedy, a dozen
or more pel lets,ow ing to number to be treated
,in
water, or m ixed, after being d issolved, w ith the food .
I f d irectly traceable to bad food, remove the cause and
give Arsenicum. Chamomi l la , a lso, has cured . H ens
sometimes have a whitish discharge which oozes out,
fou l ing their feathers ; for this, give Garbo veg.
Among gees e there is a diseas e known sometimes as3
wh ite dysentery.
’The geese lose appetite
,become
weak and breathe hurried ly ; the evacuations are very
soft and of a chalky color,and final ly l iqu id . The
body or flesh assumes a bluish color and the bird then
dies . The disease runs its course'
in three or four days.Bad food, fi l th, browsing in hogs and swamps, are the
genera l causes . With geese so afllicted it is bes t tocage them up in a dry place on clean straw (keep it
TH E POULTRY D OCTOR. 39
clean) and feed good food . The first day give them
Aconite, two or three dozen pel lets in the drinking
water. The next day give Arsenicum (wash thedrink
ing vessel thoroughly on changing medicines,or get a
new one) . Mercurius Viv . and Chamomi l la. are also
useful .
There is also a species of bloody flux or inflamma
tion of the bowels, which attacks turkeys and hens
when closely confined,fed on bad food and given fou l
drinking water. The abdominal wal ls get thin and
transparent,and there is a sink ing in the region of
the anus ; a bloody,mucus-l ike diarrhoea accompan ied
w ith rapid emaciation . Mercurius cor . , in clean, pure
water,is the best remedy . Ipecac . , also, is useful .
There is a disease among geese and ducks originat ing
from the same causes as the preced ing,which
,in some
respects,resembles it
, yet wh ich post-mortem examin
ation shows to be inflammation of the spleen . Geese,
when attacked,begin to shriek
, put their heads to the
ground,fa l l over on their backs, go into convu lsions and
d ie . Where the d isease has progressed so far, there is no
help for the s ick. But the remainder of theflock may be
cooped up or confined, given good food and pure water,in which Arsenicum, as a preventati ve, has been dis
solved give this remedy for three days,changing water
40 TH E P OUL TRY D OCTOR .
every day . One German authority, Traeger, prefers
Ni tri c acidum dissolved in water, and the water used
to moisten the meal or other food given . The amount
of each remedy shou ld be in proportion to the number.
treated— from one dozen to three dozen or more pel lets .
D ysentery carries off a great many parrots, espe
cially the young ones . A few doses of Mercurius
cor . w i l l speedily cure. I t may be stated, that, in
genera l,Mercurius cor . is the remedy for the worst
cases of dysentery,especial ly “ painful bloody dis
charges .&
D isea s es of th e E ye.
The cause of sore eyes in hens is uncertain . Some
breeders attribute it to the weather and others to over
heating, dust and sundry other causes . P erhaps all
have something to do with it. The eyes are watery,
u lcerated, w ith d ischarge of Offensive- looking l iquid,
and,in time
, pus sores are formed . The sick fow ls are
also very apt to fal l rapid ly away . I f there is reason
to suppose the compla in t is caused by the weather,
wh ich is more frequently the case,give Aconite in the
beginn ing ; but for bad cases or those wel l advanced,
Euphrasia or Sulphur are better,the latter
,if there is
pus formation . Apis is ind icated when the eyes are
42 THE P OU L TRY D OCT OR .
ny'
m, Vertigo .
& Geese and ducks are mostly afllicted
w ith it,but hens and turkeys are not exempt. The
signs are,drooping w ings
,stretched-out neck , or tw i sted
a bout i n a ll sort of ways,the body is often shaken , and
turned around and around unti l th eb ird fal ls over and
d ies . Fat,or over-fed fow ls are mostly subject to it .
The cause is variously attributed to a rush of blood to
the head , to worms in the nostri l s or cars,and to the
resu lts of blows on the head . I t wi l l be seen from th is
that the ai lment is d ifficu l t to treat,or rather to deter
m ine which of the three causes shou ld be treated . The
rush of blood cal ls for Belladonna and plenty of cool,
fresh water for drinking . I f caused by a blow,Acon
ite, fol lowed by Bel ladonna . I f from worms,give
Gina , or a l ittle turpentine or kerosene in the nostri l s
may remove the trouble ; shoul d they be in the ears,
the case is difficul t ; to fi l l the ears with sweet oi l or
m ilk is about the on ly safe course . As a rule,how
ever, diz ziness is but a symptom of some ma lady .
D ropsy .
This disease on ly, as a ru le,attacks Old and fat hens
who have ceased lay ing. The ma lady is manifested by
a swel led abdomen and ruffled plumage . The fat seems
turn ing to water. If any one w ishes to treat dropsy,
TH E P OULTRY D OCTOR. 43
Apocynum cannab . or Apis are the best remedies ; theformer
,if there is heaviness and general sluggishness ;
t he latter,if there are ev idences of the disease on the
sk in . I t is better, however, to destroy a 11d s o
affl icted .
E pilepsy .
P igeons are sometimes attacked by a d isease cal led ,perhaps improperly
,epi lepsy . I t man ifests itself by
the contortions or unnatura l workings of the muscles of
the throat,and if touched the birds seem to be in pain .
The d isease Oftener attacks the female than the male .
I ts cause is unknown . Bel ladonna covers the symp
toms best.Feath er ing .
Everv one knows that babies during dentition , or
teeth ing, often get very sick . Something analogous
occurs w ith young fowls when their down begins to be
replaced w ith feathers ; that is their teething & period .
To the best of our knowledge this complaint has never
been classified and named . We have ca l led it “feather
ing,& because theword, if homely, is certainly descrip
ti ve. Most pou ltry raisers have at some time carried a
lot of young chicks or turkeys safely through infancy
on ly to have them,
“
when feathers begin to sprout, per“
versely die. This Wi l l happen even where the care,
44 THE P OULTRY D OCTOR.
food and housing is of the best. W hat is thematter &The owner asks the question ofhis editor
,and that gen
tlemen— doesn’t answer satisfactori ly .
When young fowls of this age begin to droop and
d ie they shou ld be carefu l ly exam ined to make sure that
l ice are not the“
cause . I f no l ice be found there is a
pla in ca l l for medicine . There are no incurable diseas es
given if treated in time and the proper homoeopathic
remedy selected . The c ondit ion described is so vague
that no remedy can be w ith certainty prescribed,but
the probabil ities are that a helpfu l one w i l l be found
among the three fol low ing : Galcarea carb ., Chamo
milla or Hepar sulph . The cond itions distingu ishing
these remedies must necessari ly be vague. I n general ,Cal carea. carb . when there seems to be arrested growth
,
Chamomil la, when there is foul evacuation , and Hepar
when the chick looks scrofulous or,so to say , mangy .
Even a fourth remedy may be added,and a good one
Aconite, when there is restlessness,
crying,
&and a
general feverish condition . Adm in ister the remedy,a
dozen or more pel lets,in the water cup or food of the
fow ls in the latter case d issolve in water and m ix
thoroughly .
As already stated , this is merely suggestive. I t is an
analogy between the teething of babes and the grow ing
THE POULTRY D OCTOR. 45
of feathers. But the losses are so heavy at this period of
fowls’ l ives that a remedy is needed, and we bel ieve can
be found in the foregoing.
Gapes .
E very pou ltry raiser knows what themalady known
as gapes & is. It chiefly attacks young fowls before
their feathers have grown , and is man ifested by a more or
less constant gaping of themouth,or,more properly
,
a gasping for breath. I t is due to the presence of a
smal l red worm in the w indpipe. Whether this worm
is bred w ithout the chick,or is a spontaneous generation
resu lting from physical causes , is an open question. I n
all probabil ity the disease is due to constitutiona l defects
which may be removed by the proper remedy. I n a
disease of this sort the remedy must be prescribed some
what empirica l ly, as there are no paral lels between th is
d isease and the provings . German homoeopathic writers
assert that Drosera and D ulcamara given on alternate
days wi l l cure the disease . Among suggested remedies
may be named Ignatia, Lachesis and China.
I f it shou ld ever be discovered that the worms are
bred in the stomach and ascend thence, as is most proba
bly the case, then the remedy unquestionably wou ld be
Gina , or the active principle of that remedy Santonine,
46 THE P OULTRY D OCTOR.
and we wou ld advise putting the young chick s on Gina.
for a few days, when, if there is no improvement, resort
may be had to one of the other remedies .
Among the more popular external treatments may be
mentioned the twisting of a horse—hair into a fine loop,
runn ing it down the bird’s w indpipe and pu l l ing the
worms out, a lso taking a smal l feather, stripping it, ex
cept at the point, dipping it in turpentine or kerosene
and runn ing it down the throat, after having bent the
feathered part over so that it w i l l go down with the
gra in of the feathers . There are many other treatments
recommended by various authorities,such as flour of
sulphur,crude camphor
,turpentine
,etc., but the trouble
w ith them all is that there is always danger of kil l ing
the ch ick along w ith the worm .
Gou t .
This disease commonly known as gout would seem
to be more akin to rheumatism.
&H ens and turk eys
are mostly l iable to it,and it also attacks ducks and
geese when they sleep on damp floors. The cause is
taking cold , or exposure to cold and wet,which settles
in the legs and feet ; damp pavements and filth also
combine to produce it. The legs and feet swel l and become stiff, and the fowls wa l k w ith difficu lty, their gait
THE P OULTRY D OCTOR . 47
suggesting that of a rheumatic person . The first
requisite in the treatment is a dry place for the fowls,
and if their legs could be rubbed down w ith mutton
tal low , so much the better. Bryonia or Rhus tox. w i l l
cure, however, w ithout the tal low . D ulcamara is also a
good remedy. Turkeys seem more subj ect to this disease
than other fowls .
H ern ia .
H ens laying unusual ly large eggs areat times troubled
w ith hern ia. The larger species of fowls are more apt
to be troubled by it than the smaller. The intestine
through wh ich the egg passes protrudes abnormal ly, and
does not recede when the hen leaves the nest.
To attempt to treat this a i lment externa l ly involves
rather a disagreeable proceeding, as it must be repeated
a number of times . The treatment consists in washing
the protruding part in lukewarm water or m ilk,anoint
ing itw ith l inseed or sweet oil and gently forcing it back
into the body . Th is repeated several times wi l l cure
the trouble. This treatment should be accompanied
each time w ith a dose of Aconite to al lay any fever.
The internal remedy is Pulsatilla or Nux vomica ,
i .e.,when the external treatment j ust mentioned is not
resorted to .
48 THE POULTRY D OC TOR.
H oarsenes s .
Caged singing birds are subj ect to attacks of hoarse
ness ; in other words they catch cold from being
exposed to draughts,the same as men do . There are a
number of remedies for this i l l,and they are eas ily ad
m in istered by d issolving half a dozen pel lets of the
chosen one in the bird’s water cup. I f the bird sneezes
and is evidently just tak ing cold,Aconi te is the remedy
,
but if it is plainly hoarse , tries to sing but has l ittle
voice,and that rough in sound
,give Causticum or
Hepar sulph . I f there is great hoarseness,watery
eyes, yet occasional ly the voice breaks out clear
,give
Pulsatilla .
H um id or B lack D i sease .
Humid ,“ black & or “ sweating disease sometimes
attacks hens who are setting and remain too long on the
nest at a stretch, especial ly if the nest be too damp and
cold. U nder the w ings the featherless parts w i ll be
found blackish lock ingand clammy . Med icine can hardly
do any good in such cases . The best cure is to make
the hen air herself more . Also,look carefu l ly for l ice,
both for the l ittle red m ites and the large gray l ice.
Some writers recommend washing the under part of
the wing with tepid water. But this process may exc ite
50 THE P OULTRY D OCTOR.
complete. Keep the fowl , or fowls, caged during the
treatment.Kriebel .
We have,given th is malady the German name for
want of an Engl ish one. I t is,we bel ieve, unknown to
American pou ltry raisers,though
,probably
,their fowls
have suffered from it and they did not know i ts cause
or confounded it w i th some other a i lment . The cause
of i t is smut and ergot, a pecul iar excrescence found
growing on grain . That found on cars of corn is cal led
smut,and on rye and wheat is ca l led ergot
,in some sea
sons when theweather has been hot and moist, though it
is found to a certa in extent in all seasons on the corn .
Chickens fed on corn contain ing much smut develop
the fol low ing symptoms : D izziness,staggering gai t,
lack-lustre feathers,leanness
,lay few eggs and refuse to
hatch sometimes they fal l on their sides and draw their
claws convu l sively together when they attempt to arise
the final symptom is a decav of the comb and feet,and
then death fol lows. It w i ll be seen from this that no
matter how carefu l ly fow ls are attended they cannot
escape “ kriebel & if fed on corn or gra in conta ining
much smut or ergot ; many a wel l—kept hennery mayhave been decimated from this cause
,much to the
puzzlement of i ts proprietor. The cure, of course
,is
THE P OULTRY D OCTOR. 51
pla in -remove the cause . The health of the flock w i l l
be regained more rapidly by giving it three or four
dozen pel lets of Solanum nig . every day in the drink
ing water .L ice
The dangerous louse to pou ltry is the large gray
back ,&who works on the head , neck and vents, is hard
to find as it lurks close down on the sk in at the roots of
the feathers,and is so blood-th irsty that one or two are
enough to kil l a young ch ick . These l ice are w ith
chickens all the time,but especial ly during July and
August. Search for them on the head,neck and throa t.
Bo'wel disease in summer is a sign of l ice ; the sleepy
disease,in wh ich the ch icks are sleepy or drowsy
,is a
sign refusa l to eat ; puny looking body, and slow
growth sudden deaths ; gradua l wasting away ; con
stant crying ; loss of feathers on the head ; and other
symptoms that appear surprising or remarkable. Even
in the cleanest of houses, when not a sign of l ice can
be seen,look on the ch icks for the large lice. Not
on ly on chicks but the large body l ice are nearly a lways
on adul ts . A ch ick w ill never get lousy un less the old
fow ls are near,and that is the reason why brooder chicks
grow faster than those under hens . The large l ice w i l l
k i l l ducks suddenly. They kill nearly all the young
52 TH E P OUL TRY D OCTOR .
turkeys that d ie . Whenever you notice a s ick fow l
dusting itself look for lice.
There are as many remedies for these pests as there
are cures for warts among school boys, and yet the
l ice flourish. Here are some of them
Wash the fowl w ith a decoction of absinth ium (worm
wood) .
O il of fennel dropped on the head or neck w ill dri ve
away l ice .
C lean the coop or hen-house thoroughly and white
wash i t equa l ly as thoroughly . R ub the roosts w ith
a m ixture of kerosene oil and lard ; if this is kept upfor a t ime the verm in w i l l d isappear.
F um igate the hen-house w i th a pan of l ive coals and
a handfu l of su lphur. (Also be very carefu l you do not
set it on fire by so doing . )
Apply kerosene freely to perches and wherever the
l ice may find refuge.
P ut a l ittle,a very l ittle
,kerosene on thefowls ’ neck
feathers,and this w ill driveaway the l ice from thefow ls.
Be carefu l not to put on too much,as it is i rritating .
A good ointment for l ice is made by m ixing a cup of
lard w ith a teaspoonfu l of kerosene.
To clear a house of fleas,m ites
, ticks, l ice and such
parasites, clean it, wash it w ith hot l ime wash, sprinkle
THE P OUL TRY D OCTOR. 53
the floor w ith a solution of carbol ic acid,and grease
the roosts w ith a m ixture of one pound of lard,one
pint of raw l inseed oi l, quarter of a pin t of kerosene
and a quarter of a pound of su l phur.
For l ice among pigeons,clean the house
,or cote
,
thoroughly,and sprinkle it with camphorated water,
and supply the birds with plenty of bathing water .
Green twigs of alder put into the coop, or house, and
removed next day , w i l l be found covered w ith the
verm in .
I f handfuls of w i ld thyme be thrown in the coop and
about the hen—house,l ice w i l l rarely trouble the fowls .
To clear singing birds of l ice,keep the cage clean
,
immerse it in scald ing water,and let the bird bathe
frequently. I f l ice are on the bird,take a piece of flan
nel and put some turpentine on it. C atch the bird and
wrap him up in the flannel as closely as you can,w ith
out hurting him ,leaving on ly his head exposed . H old
him for a few m inutes and then release him,and the
flannel w i ll be found covered w ith l ice, or some lice, at
any rate . F ire or sca lding water is then the best treat
ment for the l ice after being caught.
Among the numerous parasitic pests of fow ls,is one
7which we may ca l l red mites .’ They are noticed as
being in countless myriads on the wal ls and roosts .
54 TH E P OULTRY D OCTOR.
Another c las s of m i tes , parasitical, are found under
scales , on the combs,and on the l egs below the
feat-hers. I f unmolested , the comb grows thicker at
the base,darker, and furrowed. The feathers of the
head and neck fal l off. The disease is infectious, and
when a fow l is attacked,it shou ld be caged apart from
the flock . The treatment must be external . The parts
may be pa inted w ith kerosene or washed w ith carbol ic
soap . Another good treatment is to wash the affected
parts and then anoint them w ith sulphur cerate,which
may be Obtained at any homoeopathic house. Another
good ointment,and one that can be home-made
,is
two parts of sweet oil or lard to one part kerosene .“ Scabby or sca ly legs & in pou ltry are due
,perhaps
entirely, to these parasitica l pests,and they may be
entirely removed by a little care— wash ing the leg and
rubbing it w ith the kerosene ointment,or a very l ittle
pure kerosene . A dozen pel lets of Sulphur , in the
water-cup of the fowl under treatment,renewed every
day, w i l l aid in the cure enabl ing the fowl to regain
a healthy skin and comb much sooner than w ithout it .
One ounce oil of cedar m ixed w ith a pint of other
oi l and put on the neck,back
,etc.,
of chickens is said
to clear the l ice away. O nly a few drops shou ld be
used,as grease is repugnant to fowls .
TH E P OULTRY D OCTOR. 55
For young chicks : two parts glycerine,one part car
bolic acid, the two m ixed w ith five times their bul k in
water. Apply freely to Sprouting feathers .
I n conclusion, and in the words of an experienced
pou ltryman ,“ l ice means work .
&
L iver C ompla in t .
I t is rather d ifficult to detect this complaint unti l
the fowl is killed, when the l iver wi l l be observed
to have an unnatural color and a certa in rotten or cheesy
look. W hen al ive,the fowl has
,if it may be so ex
pres sed,a jaundiced and bil ious look
,with a lternate
attacks of diarrhoea and costiveness . Podophyllum
w i l l cure the trouble . Many cases of this diflioulty are
caused by the use of copperas solutions in the drin k ngwater
,by inexperienced pou l trymen
,known as D ouglass
m ixtures .
M ara smu s .
Marasmus,or Consumption, as it is sometimes
cal led,though neither designation seems to be quite cor
rect,is that disease in which the glands, secreting an
oily fluid among the ta i l feathers, becomes stopped .
When this occurs the fow l s cease scratching, sit about
morose, bit ing often at the root of the ta i l feathers, be
come constipated, grow lean and d ie . The external
56 TH E P OULTRY D OCTOR.
treatment is to reopen the glands,if possible
,or to
anoint the part with oil— sweet oi l being best.
Such treatment,wh i le pal l iative
,is not real ly cura
tive,for it is fa ir to assume that the disease is not due
to external accidents . The homoeopathic remedy for
the compla int is Hepar su lph . Isolate the fowl,if
poss ible,and put a dozen pel lets of the remedy in her
water-cup.
M ou lt ing .
P roperly speaking,thi s is not a disease but a normal
process through which the fowls pass w ithout d ifficu lty .
Shou ld it happen that the process is slow and the fowl
seems in a genera l ly,dry , arrested condition
,give it
Calcarea carb . I f there is a raw corroding fluid
among the‘
feathers,give Natrum muriaticum . I f
fever,Aconite. O ily foods
,such as sunflower-seeds
,
l inseed-meal,etc .
,are beneficial during moul ting.
P ip .
A disease that affects the tongue and mouth of
the fow l , and is ev idenced by a tough, scaly growth on
the tongue, and is often the resu l t of dryness of the
tongue due to the clogging of the nostri ls,which cause
the fowls to breathe through the mouth . The term
pip & is now seldom used . The regu lar &treatment
58 THE P OUL TRY D OCTOR.
pel lets,for the curative virtue l ies in the similia of the
dose and not in its strength .
&
R oup.
U nder this heading is grouped , too often, the whole
series of catarrhal affections . I fWebster’s U nabridged
is’
opened and R oup & looked up, the inqu irer is re
ferred to R oop ;&turn ing to that word he is again
referred to“ C roup,
&and that rea l ly is “ R oup .
&
D unglison’
s Med ica l D ictionary also gives the same
derivation . The difference between croup and diph
theria,in brief
,and
,what closer study would probably
revea l to be ana logous,roup and pip
,is,that in roup
the mucus rema ins sl imy and stringy,wh i le in pip it
hardens and forms the “scal e .& Be that as it may ,
roup is the bane of chicken—ra isers and of ch ickens .
The disease i s characterized by a fou l breath,offen
s ive discharges from the nostri ls,inflamed and swol len
head , sore eyes , and a cankerous-l ooking throat and
mouth .
The homoeopathic remedy for roup is Spongia, and
if homoeopathy had done nothing else for pou ltry
breeders than to give them this remedy,it wou ld merit
their lasting gratitude . Of its efficacy there can be no
doubt. Spongia is the sovereign remedy for croup in
THE P OULTRY D OCTOR. 59
chi ldren,as countless thousands could testify
,and it is
the same in croup,or roup
,of fowls . That th is theory
is correct is confirmed by experience wherever the
remedy has been admin istered to fowls . Breeders,who
heretofore had lost fifties and hundreds from roup, find
that their loss under Spongia dimin ished to next to
nothing .
I n administering the remedy, all
,
that is required is
to dissolve from a dozen to four dozen pel lets in clean
water,and put the water, the usual quantity apportioned
to the fow ls,in a clean vessel
,where they w i l l drink it .
C ontinue unti l the d isease has disappeared , wh ich w i l l
be in a very short time.
The disease sometimes called R attle & in geese seems
to be nothing but a species ofR oup , and Spongia is the
remedy for i t .
Among other homoeopathic remedies for R oup maybe m entioned Hepar sulph . , Aconite, Arsenicum and
Tartar emeti c .’
But these “w i ll hardly be called for
often .
B efore closing this subject it may not be am iss to
quote the fol lowing testimony from a correspondent of
The P oultry Keeper, a wel l-known j ournal
I don ’t know bu t it w ill be in pla
ceto say someth ingmoreof theSpongia.
W hen I last wrote I was trying it on a rooster that had the R oup for six
months . For a wonder it cured h im up. Of course i t would be impossible
60 TH E P OUL TRY D OCTOR .
to do this in every case. Y ou know I wrote you several times about losing
my young chicks w ith the R oup. W ell , I lost three lots—4 50 in all . I kept
on trying , and , a fter using the Spongia , I have on ly lost a few , and w ill havewinter fry s instead of spring frys .
&
Another correspondent w rites as fol lows
I am now prepared to state unconditionally that Spongia.did it ; circumstances as more favorableweather, and m y own rather costly experience
of last year m ay have h ad something to do with i t but the facts are that,from July , 1889, when the roup invaded my flocks, until February, 1890,
when by dint of the ‘surviva l of thenttest ,
’ health was again in a measure
restored in my pou ltry house, my chickens have yielded me very little in
come, and less pleasure ; handling and dosing , isola ting and fum igating ,
u ntil I was almost su ffocated and entirely disgusted . One-th ird of my
entire flock succumbed. Fact is also that although not a believer in
homoeopathic remedies, I u sed Spongia this year on the strength of the
P oultry Keeper’s recommendation ,
as soon as the dreadfu l disease showeditself, about them iddle of Augu st , and the last and most satisfactory fact isthat my hens and ch ickens never were in better health th an they arenow .
and have been since the beginn ing of September ; on ly a single chickenout of 150 having died of the disease. Certainly, single exam ples do not
prove a case, bu t if the experienceof many others, which w ill not be slow
to come in , shou ld show that in Spongia we have a simple and effective
remedy against as terrible a scourge as roup, th e poultry fraternity may
well congratulate itself and thank the P ou ltry Keeper.
&
The foregoing was written by a gentleman in Wis
consin . H ere is a bit of experience from one,a citi zen
of New Y ork
I‘
had abou t twenty cases of roup in m y flock this fall . I tried turpen
tine, glycerine and carbolic acid , in proper proportions. w ithout effecting a
single cure, and also used chlora lum and severa l other remedies w ithoutany good effect . I commenced Spongia about a week ago, and part of thema re now well , and there is a very marked improvement in the rest of the
cases .
&
THE P OULTRY D OCTOR. 61
Another pou ltryman writes
Since you sent meSpongia for a roup recipe I have given it a thoroughtrial , and find it strikes the very vital parts and does thework. I have trieda number of recipes , and they all proved a failure, and with the same
symptoms.and every condition , the Spongla. has cured in every insta nce, and
for your advice in thematter I am underm any obligations . I have quite a .
good place here and expect to ra isea large number of ch ickens the com ing
season .
&
And sti l l another
At the time I commenced using the Spangla I had fifteen or twen ty
cases of roup, and new ones com ing down every day . They soon com
menced to show signs of improvement, and are all now entirely well . Spongia
di d the business.
&
L ater issues of th is journa l contained abundant con
firmatory evidence of the inestimable value~of Spongia
in R oup ; one number contained letters from twenty
different correspondents from all parts of the country
test ifying to the curati ve powers of Spongia.
I t may not be out of place to emphasize aga in the
necessity of getting H omoeopathic Spongia to obta in
these results . We once an Al lopathic professor’s
account Of how Spongia is prepared and can affi rm
that if any one adm in istered the remedy prepared as he
d irected no resu lts wou ld be obtained .
Sw elled C rop.
Caused by eating too much or from something that
prevents the food from pass ing out of the crop, as the
62 TH E P OUL TRY D OCTOR.
passage from the crop to the gizzard may be clogged
w ith long dry grass, Old rags,or other substances. The
hen ruffles her feathers , throws her head back and her
crop feels packed ready to burst. Fas ting and gentle
man ipu lation genera l ly cures . Nux vomica. or Arseni
cum wi l l aid in giv ing relief. Some breeders as a last
resort cut the crop a l ittle w ith a very sharp kn ife, w ith
draw the food and sew up the wound w ith a si lk thread .
I n the latter case anoint the cut w ith Ca lendu la cerate,
or,if that is not at hand
,with Arnica and water.
S w el led H ead .
F rom some cause not clear,the heads of hens w i l l
often swel l great ly and be very hot. Exposure to
draughts of air,however
,is a fru itfu l cause of both
swel led heads and swol len eyes . Spong'ia. has given
rel ief in many cases bu t Belladonna is the indicated
remedy for this trouble ; Bryonia. a lso wi l l rel ieve.
Th ru sh (Aph th ae) .
C onsists of smal l vesicles or white specks on themem
brane of mouth, tongue, etc. There are severa l remedies
for th is condition of sore mouth or Stomatitis among
them may be named in their order : Ni tric acid if there
is a genera l yel low ish appearance ; Mercurius Viv . if
THE P OULTRY D OCTOR. 63
red, spongy, bleeding Staphisagria. if pale, white and
read ily bleeding ; and Thuja. if there appears to be a
fungus-l ike“
growth .
T um o rs , E xcres cences .
D omestic fow ls are somet imes attacked with Tumors
which anyone w i l l recognize at a glance . Isolate the
fow l and dissolve a dozen pel lets of Arsenicum each
day in its water cup if it is supposed the Tumor is a
natural grow th,or
,if caused by injury
,Hepar su lph .
C au liflower-l ike excrescences or seedy warty growths
requ ire Thuja .
Ves ic les .
Small Vesicles, or pimples about the size of a pin
head,and pearl-l ike, w i l l sometimes be found on the
neck,comb and wattles of fow ls . They hunt sunny
places,droop their w ings and grow lean . On the seventh
day theVesicles ripen and improvement sets in or the
fow l d ies . Isolate theaffected ones . Nitric acid is the
best remedy dissolve in thewater cup a dozen or more
pel lets each day unti l cured .
W art s .
Warts do not trouble fow ls often . The best general
prescription for them is Thuja . Occasional ly there is
met w ith in pigeons and other fowls, warty, cancerous
64 TH E P OUL TRY D OCTOR.
or u lcerous growths in the mou th and throat. It is
difficu lt to cure,but Arsenicum w i l l in many cases
rel ieve . For W hat is known as“ W art Skin &
(not
C hicken-
pox) give Calcarea carb .
W h ite C om b .
This d isease is said by German authorities to be a
vegetable parasite or fungus,which attacks fowls some
times. The combs become covered w ith what looks
l ike a whitish dust, the feathers grow scrawny and the
fow l d ies . The compla int seems to be contagious,and
the fow ls affected shou ld be isolated . The trea tment
recommended by the German pou ltry men is Sulphur
for a day or two in the drinking water,fol lowed by
S taphisagria, which is the main remedy .
Something which somewhat resembles this complaint
w i ll be found under the head ing L ice .&
W orm s .
When any fow l is known by observation to be
affected w ith worms,Gina , or the active principle of
that remedy, Santonine, is the remedy . Continue until
good health is restored . R aw flesh is general ly the
cause of worms,but not a lways .
66 THE P OU LTRY D OC TOR.
exposure to cold , dry winds . D ry burning throat. For beg in
n ing of p leurisy or pneumonia . Spitting of bright , frothy
blood . P ressure as of a weight in the pit of the stomach . Urine
hot , painful , red. Milk fever. Teething , wi th hot inflamed
gums. L aryngitis , with inflammatory fever. Dry , hacking
cough . Hot breath . Oppression of the chest when moving
fast . P ulse full and hard in fevers Great'
irritation of the
nervous system . Skin red, dry and burning ; sweating when
covered and attacks of ch illiness. S leeplessness of old age.
General indications are dry fever. heat, and especially restless
ness. Aconiteis very useful in the first stages of a large number
of ailments.
Apis .— Inflammatory affections with grea t swelling , almost
like dropsy. The pain is of a biting , sting ing , burning character,
like that arising from the sting of a bee. A great indication
for the selection of th is remedy is thewant of thirst in spite of
fever and inflammation . The same holds good in dropsical
afl'
ections. Sore throat with sting ing pain when swallowing .
Incipient diphtheria . Erysipelas. An extremely valuable
remedy in a great variety of diseases of the eye, inflammatory.
Apocy num C ann ab inum .
— Heaviness of the head
evenings . Hydrocepha lus. Great th irst, but water disagrees .
D ropsy . Acu te inflammatory dropsy . Excretions of urine and
sweat greatly diminished . D ropsy and dropsical conditions.
Arn ica. M on tana — Externa lly . A lotion of one part
tincture to ten of water, to be applied to all injuries from falls ,blows , concussions and sprains . I nterna lly (in pellets) , for all
heavy blows or concussions . Bladder affections from mechanical
injuries . P leurisy from mechanical injuries. R heumatism of
THE P OULTRY D OCTOR . 67
laborers . Palpitation and strain of theheart after violent
exertion . Clergymen’
s sore throat.&Bruised feeling. Great
phys ical fatigue. Ill effects from blows or heavy exertion
generally. Neuralgia following injuries. Nose bleed with“blackish blood.
Arsenioum Album . Headache, motion aggravates.
Chronic eruptions, with pustules on thehead. Violent burningin the eyes. D ischarges of cadaverous odor from the ears.
W atery discharge causing burning and smarting in the nostrils.
Cancerous u lcers on the face. Eruptions, sores and u lcers on
mouth or lips. Thirst, drinks often but little at a t ime. Ere
quent vom iting . Vom iting immediately after eating . Heat
and burning in the pit of the stomach . D iarrhoea after ch ill
ing the stomach by food or drink . I ll efi'
ects of cold wa ter or
ice cream . Haemorrhages from bowels, dark and offensive.
Asia tic cholera with wa tery discharges . Sudden catarrh threat
ening suffocation at night. D iflicult breathing. Tightness of
chest. Agoniz ing heart pains. Trembling l imbs ; violent
start ing wh ile falling asleep. Very rapid sinking of strength .
D reams fu ll of care, sorrow and fear. Eruptions, pimples , car
buncles, cancers, lupus . Bad efi'
ectsfrom tobacco chewing , qui
nine or a lcohol. B ites of animals. Sudden andextremedebility,
burning pains and bad eruptions. Haemorrhoids, with burni ng ,like fire.
Ar seni cum Jodatum (I odatum ) .— Enlarged scrofulous
glands . B lood poisoning with debilitating sweats. Eruptions
in syphilitic patients.
'
Last stages of diphtheria and croup ,
putrefaction. D iarrhoeas, dark , mushy stools.
Belladonna..— D elirium . Blood mounts to the head .
68 THE P OULTRY D OCTOR.
Jumping , violent , throbbing headache, eyes feel as if startingfrom their sockets. Headache from heat of the sun. Face
swollen and hot. Violent thirst and desires sour drinks. Sea/r
let fever. Attacks of coughing , as if from dust. Ery sipelas.
B ad efi'
ects from smok ing tobacco. P eritoni tis. Su its full
blooded people. Congestion of blood . R ed, inflamed swellings ,
red , feverish states.
Bry on ia..— Headache beginning in themorning and increas
ing , as though the head wou ld burst, till evening : worse on
motion . Hot , soft pufli ness of face. Coryz a , with green ish
discharge from the nose. B itter taste. Angry , disagreeable
temper. Soreness in pit of stomach when coughing. Bilious
ness. D esire to breathe deeply, but cannot on account of pain
in the chest. P leurisy . P ains in the joints. R heuma tism .
Great aggravation of suffering from heat . Constipa tion stools
hard , dark brown or bla ck , dry , a s if burn t. L umbago. P ro
fuse, oflensive sweat. Yellow skin . In general , bilious com
plaint-s and all complaints worse on motion. Catarrh with dryness. D ry mouth and throat. L umbago.
C a lcarea. C arb on ica .
— Scrofulous ophthalmias. Hair
dry , falling ou t, dandruff, and generally scabby and unhea lthy.
Sore, u lcerated nostrils. Ozena . Face pale,bloated
, old and
wrinkled looking . D vfi cult teething . Cough dry expectora
tion salty. Chronic dyspepsia. Felons. Feet cold , damp ,bunions. Takes cold easily. Epilepsy ; marasmus. Crackingof joints, as if dry . Headache in school children. Scrofulous
inflammation of the ear. Skin dry , shrivelled . R ingworms .
For rickety and scrofulous people or unhealthily large childrenbig headed. Enlargement of the liver, with jaundice ; liver
THE P OULTRY D OCTOR. 69
sore. Chronic dyspepsia. with aversion to wa rm food or
drink . W hite swelling of knee-joint. Inflammation of hip
joint . Chronic form of intermittent fever. Many cases of
goitre.
C amphora..— Sudden and extreme prostration. Face pale,
livid , cold . Cold sweat. Cholera . Cholera morbus. S ick
ness from tobacco. Tongue cold . Mouth cold . Summer com
p la int. Body cold . Strangury. Influenz a when pat ient
feels cold and chilly . Hands cold, bluish. Great prostration,
Impotence. Chill, with shivering and shak ing ; chatteringteeth . Unhealthy coldness. Cholera, cramps, cold prostrations. (N.B .
—The remedy u sed should be homoeopathic
camphora , and not the crude drug from the“camphor
bottle &
)
Garb o Vegetab ilis .— Ailments from eating fat meats,
pork , etc. , or in waterbrash , sOur risings, great flatulency with
constant eructations. Spasms in the stomach with burning and
aching pains . Ailments after abuse of mercury, as offensive
breath , bleeding of the gums, canker in themouth . Useful.
in
all kinds of foul-smelling discharges, even from ulcers. Bad
eflectsfrom drinking icewa ter, such as colic. Senilegangrene,
hum id leg . Corrosive leucorrhoea.
C au st icum .—Ailments result ing from suppressed eruptions
like measles, scarla tina , etc. L oss of voice. P aralytic condi
tions, sciatica. W eakness of the neck of thebladder, ch ildren
wetting the bed. Acid dyspepsia. Horny warts.
C ham om illa..— Child cries, quiet only when carried whin
ing, restless ; wants things, and when ofl‘
ered pushes them
away ; peevish . nothing pleases, one cheek red wh ile the other
70 THE P OULTRY D OCTOR.
is pale. Eructation sour, inclination to vomit. Convulsions
of children. S tool green , watery , or like chopped eggs, with
colic. For children during teeth ing and for infantile colic,
earache. A valuable remedy for uterinehaemorrhages.C ina.. —Child does not want to be touched ; cannot bear you
to come near it ; uneasy and distressed. Child pick s at itsnose. Grinds its teeth when asleep. Unnatural hunger. The
chief remedy for worms in ch ildren. (S anto nine cures worms
if Gina fails. )
C inchona. (C hin a ) . —~Heaviness in thehead, fa inting, tem
porary loss of sight, ringing in the ears ; cold surface. After
haemorrhage. Vertigo, after loss of animal flu ids. Headache
worse in the open air, better from hard pressure, Habitual
nosebleed . Flatulency. Heartburn . Hectic fever, frequent
night sweats, diarrhoea , pallor, sleepless, nervous . After ex
hausting disease or loss of animal flu id . Chills and fever, especially in swarthy persons. For all losses of animal fluids.
Rapid emaciation, with indigestion , voracious appetite, undi
gested stools and copious night sweats. R inging in theears.
C olchi cum .—Great thirst but no appetite, smell of food
disgusting. Intense neuralg ic headache, with ineffectual effortsto sneeze. Stomach icy cold , colic distension. Breathing as th
matic. Rheumatic pains in elbow, wrist, finger-joints. (Ede
matous swelling and coldness in legs and feet. Tingl ing in toes
like after being frosted. Smell of cook ing nauseates. W ants
things, but when brought they nauseate. Useful with asth
matic, gouty , rheumatic people.
C orallium R ub rum is very serviceable in nervous coughsand whooping cough , mostly during the spasmodic stage ; also,
THE P OULTRY D OCTOR. 71
in Millar‘
s asthma of children . Sensation as if cold air passed
through the respiratory organs , when taking a long breath.
D ros era.. W hooping -cough in periodically returning par
oxysms, with vomiting, the child feeling better during motion
than during rest. W hooping-cough with haemorrhage from
the nose and mouth ; nose-bleed , especially morning and even
ing , or when stooping . Cough worse a t n ight, and madeworse
by singing , laughing , crying , smoking and drinking. Oppres
sion of chest as if air cou ld not be expired .
D u lcam ara — D ull headache, continuous . Aching in eyes
when reading . Coryz a worse after slightest exposure. Saliva
tion . Menses suppressed by cold . R heuma tic p leuritis and
pleura—pneumonia with tough , difli cult , discolored sputa. Ery
sipelas of feet . P ains in the joints after exposure to cold.
R ending pain in side, u pward . Tetter ooz ing a watery flu id ,
bleeds after scratch ing . Nettlerash with much itching ; after
scratching it burns ; increases in warmth ,better in cold .
Fleshy warts . Useful , in general , in ailments arising from
cold ,wet wea ther, especially in phlegmatic, scrofulous , torpid ,
people ; catarrhal troubles always worse in cold , wet wea ther ,
w ith free secretion of mucus ; lameness in small of back after
getting wet.
Eu phras ia..— Eyes with swollen agglutinated lids Thick
yellow discharge from theeyes . Stitch ing pressure in the eyes.
Sensation as of sand in the eyes. Opacity in the cornea.
Catarrhal ophthalmia with lachrymation andmucous discharge.
Profuse flow of acrid tears . Inflammation and u lceration of the
marg in of the lids . P rofuse, bland, fluent coryz a , with scalding
tears and aversion to light. Cough , can scarcely get breath.
72 TH E P OU L TRY D OCTOR.
Attacks of heat during the day , with redness of face and cold
hands . Has strong action on ailments of the eyes in connection
with colds.
Gelsem ium .— Complete loss of muscular power from want
of nerve-tone. P aralysis . Cerebro-spinel-meningitis . Infantile
rem ittent fever, and other fevers having a rem ittent character.
Feverish conditions with great restlessness . Neuralg ia with
nervous twitchings. P rostration from night watching . W eak
ness of sight, double vision . Afl'
ections from prostration of hot
weather. H iccough if chronic. W riter’s cram p . Especially
useful for all“colds . or catarrhs, contracted in hot , moist
weather. Catarrh .
Graph iteS .—D irty crusts on the scalp . Every thing tu rns
black before the eyes when steeping . S tyes on lower lid ;
wens on the l ids. Eruptions behind the ears ; fissures ; scabs.
D ry scabs in the nose, with sore cracked , u lcerated nostrils ;
puru lent, foetid secretion . Scabs on the face, skin dry , beard
falls out . R otten odor from mouth and’
gums . Tape worm .
F issuro a ni . Em issions withou t erections . Nocturnal em issions ,
flaccid (long-standing complaint) . Hydrocele, left side. Leu
corrhoeal discharges in gushes. Hard scars. Abscess. Hard,
dry respiration. Horny hands , cracked raw places , nails black
and rough . Callous ulcers on the feet (quarter cra ck in. horses ) .
Burning in old scars. Old scars from ulcers . W ill remove or
lessen scars. For unhealthy, hard , dry , cracked , scabby skin
and slow fou l u lcerated conditions .
Hepar S u lph u r .— Morning headache worse from every j ar.
Boils on head and neck . Falling out of hair, with sore pimples
and bald blotches. D ischargeof foetid pus from the ear. P ain
74 THE P OUL TRY D OCTOR.
Mercuriu s Vivu s .— Head feels as if in a viceor bound with
a hoop , worse at night. Foetid , sour-smelling oily sweat on the
head . P urulent discharge, green from theears. Coryz a, nose
red shining swollen , worse at night . Teeth loose, toothache
from caries ; gums painfu l, swollen, bleeding , receding from
the teeth. Oz aena, ofiensive, sorebones. Erysipelatous inflam
mation of the throat , rawness, roughness, mouth fu ll of saliva ;
tonsils dark red, u lcerous, but rarely diphtheritic. Constipa
tion , stools tenacious or crumbling , violent straining , sometimes
with blood . Cough , violent racking , worse at night as if head
and chest would burst, short breath and sometimes bloody
sputum . Scrofulous catarrh . Ach ing in the bones . Paralysis
agitans. Chronic inflammation of the liver with jaundice.
Syphilitic conditions generally . Venereal ulcers.
Natrum Mu r .— Interm ittent fever, chi ll beginning in the
morning , backache. P rofuse sweat h aving a sour smell . Ma
laria lpoi soning . Headache,as if bu rsting beating or stitches
through neck and chest. Excessively sore, red eyelids. Heart
burn always after eating. Constipation ; difficult stool with
fissures at the anus. Chronic catarrh of the ear. Greasy slain .
N itric A ci d — Usefu l in inflammation and u lceration of the
bones ; syphilis and sycosis ; tedious suppuration and glandular
diseases sore threat, from syphilis on abuseofmercury prick
ing pains as from splinters ; carious u lcers pain in old sores on
change of theweather brown-red spots on the skin and boils.
I s often required in secondary syphilis and mercurial ailments ,small-pox. Pneumonia in old people. B leeding warts . Bad
freckles:of the skin. (R esembles Mercurius in many respects . )Nu x Vom ica..— Hypochondriac mood of persons of sed
THE POULTRY D OCTOR. 75
entary habits ; of thosewho dissipate. Headache from drinking spirituous liquors ; red blotched face or yellow and florid.
Eyes burning and smarting . Toothache with swollen face.Taste ; bitter, sour, tongue heavily coated white, or yellow.
Bad effects of coffee, alcoholic drinks and debauchery. Indiges
tion after abuse of drugs (too much allopathic or patent
medicines) . Sedentary habits , high living. L iver swollen,sensitive caused by debauchery or high living. Jaundice with
constipation, from sedentary habits or abuse of alcohol. Alter
nate constipation and diarrhaaa . Roughness and rawness in
the chest. Nervous prostration from mental overwork .
Opium .—This remedy is frequently suitable to drunkards
and old people, and to persons on whom other medicines are
slow to act . D ream . Stupid sleeplessness ; consequenceoffright ;trembling , jerk ing convulsions beginning with rigidity of the
whole body, loud cries ; epilepsy ; tetanus ; painters’ paralysis ;
delirium tremens ; expectoration of frothy blood when cough
ing ; constipation from torpor of thebowels ; stupor occasioned
by falls , blows, or other accidents. Valuable in apoplexy with
stupor and cold extremities ; also in threatened apoplexy of
drunkards.
P hospho ru s — Impending paralysis of brain and collapse;soften ing of the brain . Da ndruff copious ; hair comes out in
bunches . Bad effects from excessive use of salt. After drink
ing as soon as water becomes warm it is thrown up. Jaundice
with pneumonia or brain disease. Sexua l excitement, lascivious
dream s, emissions and weakness. Asthma with fear of sufl'
oca
tion ; loss of voice, rattling breathing, hoarseness with cough
and rawness ; cough worse at night and changing from warm
76 TH E P OUL TRY D OCTOR .
to cold. Broncho-pu lmonary catarrh. P neumonia,'
weight on
chest. Typhoid pneumonia . P leuritis. Tubercu losis in the
tall , slender or rapidly growing. Great debility, frequent at
tacks of bronch itis. C lammy sweat. B lood boils. Open cancers
bleeding easily. General tendency to fatty degeneration. Soften
ing of the brain brain always feels tired .
P odophy llum .— Excessivesecretion ofbile great irritabilty
of the liver ; torpidity of the liver ; jaundice ; chronic hepatis
hyperaem ia of l iver . B ilious a ttacks .
’
P rolapsus ani , with
stool , even from least exertion , followed by stool or th ick , trans
parent mucus , or m ixed with blood. P iles with prolapsus ani
and long standing diarrhoea . B ilious temperaments .
P u ls atilla .— Especially adapted to fema le derangemen ts ,
children and to persons of m ild , gentle dispositions , but valu
able in many complaints of all persons. Headache from over
loaded stomach ,pastry , fat food . Rheumatic headache. D eaf
ness, as if ears were stopped ; from cold ; earache ; bland ,
nearly inoffensive discharge, Coryz a with loss of sense of
taste and smell , or dim inished . L oss of taste with catarrh ,
nothing tastes good . Thirstlessness . Eructations , tasting of
food . P ressure on the pit of the stomach after eating ; colic
from cold with diarrhoea ; from ices, fru its, pastry. Phth isis
florida , suppurative stage ; chlorotic g irls. P a in in chest, as if
u lcerated. Catch ing pains in region of the heart,burning ,
palpitation . S titches in small of back . P ain in small of the
back , as from steeping long. P a ins tha t shift from place to
p lace. Hysteria. Fainting fits, pale face, sh ivering. Ep i
leptic convu lsions from suppressed menses. Tired , worn-out
feeling. Flitting chilliness, now here, now there. Emaciation.
THE P OULTRY D OCTOR. 77
Acts especially with light-haired or blue-eyed , fair people.
Old, painful chilblains.
R hu s Toxicod endron .— S ttfiness or lameness on first
moving after res t ; better after exercise. Complaints from get
ting wet while over-heated. Erysipelas. Burning , drawing ,tearing in face. Fissureof anus , with periodical , profuse, bleed
ing piles. Stiff neck , pain in shoulders and back, with stiff
ness , as from a sprain. Effects from getting wet or sleeping in
damp , cold places. L umbago, increased by cold . Sciatica.
Spra in from over-lifting . R heuma tism , j ointss tiif or red, and
shining . Eruptions , red,measly rash , itching , burning. Ec
zema, surface raw . Chilblains. Valuable for effects of strains
on the muscles from lifting. Muscu lar rheumatism , without
much fever or inflammation . Acne rosacea.
S il icea .— Violent periodic headache. Amblyopia of the
eyes from abuse of stimu lants . Coryz a long lasting . Caries of
the bones . Carious teeth. Ai lments caused by vaccina tion .
L ack of vital warmth ; scrofulous constitutions ; foot sweat ;
waterbrash with chilliness ; cough hollow , Spasmodic ; night
sweats. Nails yellow, brittle. Cancer ; fistulous Openings
yellow , dirty, or wax-like skin. W hileHepar sulphur tends topromote the suppurative (festering) process, bringing it ou t&
to a hea S i l icea tends to heal that already established .
Abscess at roots of teeth .
S pong ia. To sta..— Headache in back part of the head .
Membranous croup , suffocating attacks, barking cough . Thick ,
oflensive, viscous mucus. Laryngismus stridulus. Inflammation of the larynx, trachea and bronchia. Chronic cough ,
violent attacks , brought up small , hard tubercle. Asthma.
W heez ing, laboring breath . Herpes.
78 TH E P OULTRY D OCTOR .
S taph isagria.. —Hypochondriacal , apathetic, weak memory,
face sunken , weak legs, backache, prostrat ion,resu lting from
abuse of sexual organs . Herpes, dry , with scabs. Ulcers in
scurvy . Toothachefrom Old decayed teeth . Certain deep
coughs , not chron ic. Chronic gout with nodosities .
S u lphu r.
— Afiects the whole organ ism ,rendering it sus
ceptible to the action of other remedies, but more noticeably
acts on the sk in itch ing ; freckles ; yellow , brown , flat spots ;
skin rough , scaly, scabby ; herpes scabby and scurfy ; eruptions
whitlow ; black pores on nose. Often precedes Calcarea
carb .
Tartar Em et ic.—This is an important remedy in the first
stage of influenz a ; dry cough and affections of the chest ; also,
in bilious affections small-pox ; asphyxia of new-born infants.
P ustu lar eruptions of the whole body ; stupefying headache,
with pressure above the eyes nausea , vom iting and diarrhoea ,
v iolent oppression of thestomach ; suflocative spasmodic cough
rattling of mucus, cough ing and sneez ing ; difficulty of breath
ing, especially at night ; palpitation of the heart and oppres
sion of the chest.
Thuj a .— Headacheworsefrom heating . Eyes : chronic con
j unctivitis. W atery, offensive discharge from the ear. Ulcers
in the mou th . B ad efl’
ects of vaccina tion . Cauliflower ex
crescences . W arts. B leeding , fungous growths. W hite, scaly,dry , mealy herpes . Emaciation and deadness of affected parts ,Finger-tips numb, as if dead , Extremely foetid sweat of the
feet. D ysuria. R epressed gonorrhoea.
Vera trum A lbum .— Cholera , cholera morbus , with cold
sweat on forehead , and cramps ; lips bluish ; coldness ; cramps
THE P OULTRY D OCTOR. 79
in the calves of legs. Gastric catarrh , great weakness ,
cold , sudden sinking . External chill and coldness with inter
nal heat . Rheumatic fever, with profuse sweat, great weak
ness and diarrhoea. Typhoid forms of fever in cholera season.
Often indicated after Arsenicum.
80 THE P OULTRY D OCTOR .
REMED IES PRESCRIBED .
Acidum sulph . ,
Aconite,
Apis ,
Apocynum cannabinum ,
Arnica,
Arsenicum album ,
Arsenicum j odatum ,
Belladonna ,
Calcarea carbonica,
Calendu la ,
Campli ora,
Carbo vegetabilis,
Causticum ,
Chamom illa,
China,
C ina,
Colchicum ,
Coralium rubrum ,
D rosera,
D ulcamara ,
Euphrasia ,
Gelsemium ,
Graphites ,
Hepar sulphur,
Ignatia amara,
Ipecac.
L achesis,
Mercurius corrosivus ,
Mercurius vivus ,
Natrum muriaticum ,
Nux vom ica,
Opium ,
P odophyllum,
P ulsatilla,
R hus toxicodendron,
S ilicea,
Solanum nig. ,
Spongia,
Staph isagria ,
Sulphur,
Symphitum ,
Tartar emetic,
Thuja,
Veratrum album .
82 THE P OULTRY D OCTOR.
C onsumption (cf. Marasmus) . —Hepar sulph. , Spongia,
Calcarea carb.
C ore.— Mercurius viv. , S ilicea, China.
C ory z a—C a tarrh — Mercurius viv. , Acidum sulph . , Ar
senicum , Euphrasia, D ulcamara , Hepar sulph . , Gelsem ium .
C ou gh —D ulcamara, D rosera, Sulphur.
D iarrhe a— D y sentery .
—Ipecac. , Arsenicum , Chamo
milla , Carbo veg. , Aconite, Mercurius cor. , Nitric acid .
D is eases of the E y e — Aconite, Euphrasia, Sulphur.
D istemper.— Nux vom ica.
D iz z in ess .-Belladonna , Aconite.
D ropsy .— Apocynum cannab.
, Apis.Epilepsy — Belladonna.
F eath er ing .— Calcarea carb . , Chamomilla, Hepar sulph. ,
Aconite. Kali phos. , in“nervous prostration.
Gapes .— D rosera, D ulcamara , Ignatia, Lachesis, China ,
Cina , Santonine.
Gou t —Bryonia, Rhus tox.
Hern ia — Aconite,.
Nux vom . , P u lsatilla.
H oarseness .— Aconite, Causticum , Hepar sulph. , Pulsa
tilla.
Hum id or Bla ck D isea se — Sulphur.
Indi ges tion , D y speps ia .—Nux vom. , Pulsatilla, China ,
Carbo veg.
Itch — Sulphur, Staphisagria.
K rieb el . -Solanum niger.
L ice.— Sulphur.
L iver C ompla int .—Podophyllum. Chionanthus , (hyper
trophy of liver. Nux vom . , in big eaters.
TH E P OULTRY D OCTOR. 83
Marasmu s (cf. consumption) .— Hepar sulph .
Mou lting .
— Calcarea carb. , Natrum mur. , Aconite.
P ip — Spongia , Mercurius viv .
R oup .— Spongia, Hepar sulph .
, Aconite, Arsenicum , Tar
tar emetic.
Sw elled C rop — Nux vom . , Arsenicum.
Sw elled H ead — Belladonna, Bryonia .
Thru sh (Aphthse) .— Nitric acid , Mercurius viv. , S taphis
agria , Thuja.
Tum o rs , Excresc ences .
— Arsenicum Hepar sulph . ,
Thuja
Ves icles — Nitric acid .
W arts .— Thuja, Arsenicum , Calcarea carb. ,
W hite C om b — Sulphur, Staphisagria .
W orm s .— C ina , Santonine.
84 THE P OULTRY D OCTOR.
IND E& .
PAGE
Adm in istration of R emedies, 10Apoplexy, 26
Asthma, 26
Black D isease, 48
Black-rot, 27
Bone-wen , 27
Broken Bones, 28
Bumble-foot, 28
Catarrh , 35
Chicken P ox, 29“ Chicken Powders, 23
Chip,& 30
C holera . 3 1
C linical Case of Cholera, 32
Cocks to Hens,
Constipation, 33
Contents,Contusions, 34
Consumption, 34
Core, 35
Coryz a,
35
Cough , 37
D iarrhoea, 37
D iseases, L i st of, 80
D iseases of theEye, 40
D istemper, 41
D iz z iness, 41
D ropsy, 42
D ucks, 22
D ust-bath, 20
D ynam ization, 12
D ysenteryD yspepsia,
Epilepsy,Excrescences,
Feathering,Feeding,F lux,
Food ,
GapesGout,
’
Hernia,
Hoarseness,
H omoeopathy and I ts Methods, .
H ow to keep HomoeopathicR emedies,
H ow to P rocure Homoeo
pathic R emedies,
H um id or Black D isease;I llustrations,Inbreeding,Ind igestion,Inflammation of Spleen ,
Itch,
Kriebel,
L ice,
L ist of D iseases ,L ist of Remedies ,L iver Complaint,
THE P OULTRY D OCTOR.
MarasmusMateria Medica,Mites,Moulting,
Over-feed ing,
P art I .,
I I .,
III.
P ip,Potentiatwn ,
P ractical Hints,P reface,P reliminary Remarks,P rofits,P romoti ng Health,
&
R attles ,R emedies , L ist of,R heumatism,
R oup,
PAGE
Salt, 19
Scabby L egs, 54
Scaly L egs, 54
Sim ilia Similibus Curantur, 7Small Pox, 29
Staggers, 41
Swelled Crop, 61
Swelled Head , 61
Truth of Homoeopathy. 13
Tumors , 61
Tuxkeys,
Vertigo,Vesicles,
W armth,W arts,W ater,W hite Comb,W hite D ysentery,W orms,
T-HE P OUL TRY D OCTOR .
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