The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-01-12
FARMERS COLUMN.
cARBoLIC ACID AND POULTRY
From the Canadian Poultry Chronicle.


From the Canadian Poultry Chronicle.
Of the many discoveries which science
has Given to the present age, no one artl
cIe has so rapidly grown into favor as car
boIic acid-a product of the distillatlon
IF coal tar for the production of naptha,
bonzole &c. It's chemical properties are
numerous; it is alike an antlseptlc and
disinfectant, and, too, whenever and
wherever brought into contact with them,
is certain death to all kinds Of insects.
# is a poison, but only moderately so to
4be human system; yet from some pecu
Iaritv of its nature, it is intensely des-
trnctive to insect life. And to this
point in connection with poultry and
poultry-houses, we desire to direct the at
tention of our readers.
All ameteurs and poultry breeders are
but too we'll aware that parasites are the
pests of poultry houses, more especially
in towns and cities, where poultry are
kent within confined limits. Without, as
the owner thinks, any real cause, the
fowls begin to droop and look sickly, and
after while, one by one die off. He then
becomes alarmed; examines them and
finds them covered with parasites; he
looks into his fowl house and examines
the cracks and chinks in the boards, and
finds them filled with insects, living in
scots He is astonished; he cannot &C.
count for it and then the question arises
in his mind: "How can | get rid of
them?' Scores of times within the last
few months has this question been asked
of us, and our answer invariably has
been, use carbolic acid.
But how to use it is matter of impor-
lance. There can be no doubt of its efi-
cacy, but it becomes every one to exercise
care in handling it. The acid is sold by
all druggists in its crytalline and liquid
form. In crystals, it dissolyes in 20 times
its weight in water; that is, one ounce OF
crystals requires 20 ounces OF water to dis
solve them. Thus dissolved, it is entire
" too strong for ordinary use. DR.. Elmer
son gives recipes for preparing this pow
der for disinfectiDg and other purposes
Asa whitewash for walls, protection
against insects. bugs, &C., he says: :" Put
8 ounces of carbolic acid into IL quarts Of
limewater or whitewash." Whitewa.t
the walls of the poultry house we'll with
this wash, and no living parasites will be
seen-their death is inevitable. A weak
solution may be made to wash fowls IN
one part of the acid to sixty parts OF
warm water; let it cool, then dip the
fowls in it until the feathers become
thoroughly wet and the solution reaches
all parts of the body. Afterwards place
the fowls on clean dry straw, where the
sun will reach them until they are dry.
Another form in which it is recon-
mended to use it, is a soap. These soaps
are for sale by various manufacturers, and
have high reputation for cleansing ami
mails and the cure of skin diseases. A
mode of making this soap is as follows
Dissolve s pounds of common bar soap in
hot water, add 2 to ounces of carbolic
acid, according to the desired strength
ALLOW to cool as usual in making hard
soap. All these preparations may be
bought ready prepared, and as carbolit
acid is by no means safe article to KEEP
about the house, we would advise persons
rather to buy than attempt to make them
except in the case of whitewash, wher
they must get the pure article and dilute
IL