Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1902-12-18
RoUP AND IT'S TREATMENT
An Instructive discussion of the Sub
! iar.N hx nm Aufhnrifr

An Instructive discussion of the SUBJ
ject by an Authority.
Roup or avian diphtheria may attack
all varieties of the domesticated fowls,
also cage and wild birds, says DIR.
Charles T. Dawson, veterinarian of the
Florida agricultural station. The char
acteristic symptom is the appearance
upon the lining membranes of the
mouth and nose of peculiar yellowish
patches which resemble those present
lin the Threats of children suffering
from diphtheria. These patches are
adherent to the parts upon which they
rest and when stripped off cause
raw, bleeding surface. In few days
they become yellow, much thickened,
and interfere with the breathing and
prehension of food. In some cases the
eye is affected. The eyelids become
glued together, and the material col
lects upon the front of the eyeball,
causing great bullying and final de-
struction of the eye. A peculiar nause-
ating odor accompanies the disease,
due to the decomposition of the pent
up secretions. Emaciation is rapid
from the absorption of poisons formed
by the disease process and from the
inability to eat In some outbreaks the
disease attacks the intestines, result
ing in bloody discharges and great
loss. 1t lasts from a few days to few
weeks, according to its being acute or
chronic in character. Some claim that
roup is the same as diphtheria in man.
If they are the same disease, why can
we not find the germ of diphtheria In
roupy chickens as certainly as we can
in case of true diphtheria in man?
Moreover, why, can we not apply the
diphtheria antitoxin treatment to fowls
with the same expectation of fayora-
BILE result as is now obtained by its use
in human diphtheria?
1 am unaware that any one has yet
satisfactorily demonstrated that the
initial LESSONS of roup are due to
germ. Undoubtedly the putrefactive
germs which are found in the sores
have much to do with the progress of
the disease. Roup is often COMPOUNDED
with other affections, the most common
ones being ordinary colds and infec-
tious catarrh. In any disease of this
nature which has lasted three or four
days and in which the formation of
yellow patches upon the tongue, roof
or back part of the mouth has occurred
treat for roup. If the fowl is not worth
treatment, destroy it and burn the car
cass.
The indications for treatment are
isolation of the affected ones, COM
pIete renovation of the henhouse by
scraping the floors, burning old nests,
liberal coat of whitewash to all wood
work and coating the floors with lay
er of lime. This is to be followed by
medicinal treatment of the affected
ones. This should in part consist Of
the use of antiseptic washes for the
nostrils, mouth and throat. Any of the
following washes may be used: A 2 per
cent solution of creolin applied to the
parts with brush; equal parts of kero-
sene and olive oil or cottonseed oil;
boric acid. fifteen grains to the ounce Of
water. In applying any one of these
solutions first remove those portions Of
the patches which can be detached
without causing blood to flow. 1t is
considered good practice to also dust
the cleansed surfaces with flowers Of
sulphur.
The following wash is recommended
by Salmon: Dissolve thirty-five grains
Of chlorate of potassium and two
grains of salicylic acid in one ounce Of
water and add one ounce Of glycerin.
Apply this liquid to the spots two or
three times a day, and give teaspoon
full of the mixture internally to each
fowl. Great relief is afforded the fowls
by fumigation. Place the fowls in
tight building and pour oil of tar on a
hot brick, piece of iron or shovel. Do
this twice daily.
The tumors which form on the head
should be opened with sharp knife
and their contents washed out. The
bleeding which frequently occurs can
be checked by filling the cavity with
raw cotton saturated with chloride of
iron. Zurn recommends internally and
externally a mixture of $50 grams
of a decoction of walnut leaves Nfteen
grams to a quart of water) with twenty
grams Of glycerin, five grams Of chic
rate of potassium and one-half gram of
salicylic acid in fifteen grams of recti-
fed spirit. OF this give once or twice
daily a tablespoonful to large fowls.
He also paints the parts with the solu-
ton twice day.
In addition to using any of the above
treatments the birds should be given
soft food, and in cases where they can
not eat the food should be given by
hand. They should also be given
stimulating tonic, the following being
recommended: Cayenne pepper, sui
phate of quinine, sulphate Of iron. Of
each one dram. Mix and add little
honey or sirup as an excipient and d.
vide the mass into sixty pills. Give
each fowl one pill three times day.
Convalescent fowls should not be re-
turned to the healthy flock for at least
month after recovery.