Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1902-10-03
CAPTIVE BIRDS.
Their Diseases aud the system by
which They Are Treated


which They Are Treated.
Few OF us have ever picked up
sick or diseased bird In the woods. or
course, birds fall i'll but there are
many reasons why they are seldom
seen. There is such n severe struggle
for very exi,tence-finding food, avoid
ing enemies-that when a bird for any
reason becomes less active or weak
ened very short time elapses before
some hawk or other animal hills It. IL
by some rare chance it should die and
drop TO the ground, burying beetles,
those insect undertakers OF the neither
world, set at work and I'm a day re-
move the carcass from view.
No matter how exactly natural con-
ditions are copied. birds i'm confinement
are bound to be attacked now and then
by disease. When the collection OF
birds in the New York geological park
assumed an Importance which war
ranted il, many books on avian dis
eases were purchased, and the ma jor
ity were found to be almost worthless
especially those relating to the care of
wild birds. So these were cast aside
and experiments begun, which, though
they cost more lives than one at first
soon yielded results which have proved
invaluable. The birds body is com
posed OF flesh, blood and bones so like
our own in composition that. IL was
argued priori, why would not the
same therapeutics apply? In many in
stances perfect confirmation of this has
resulted.
Birds differ from human beings in
FEW important respects. For instance.
the normal temperature of most birds
is about ITO degrees, which would kill
human being. The circulation is
correspondingly rapid, and the effect
OF any medicine is apparent in a very
short time. Out of thirty organic dis
eases which have caused deaths among
the birds all but four or five have
yielded to treatment, and most of those
cured have certain definite premonitory
symptoms. so that they can be treat.
ed before an. advanced stage renders
recovery uncertain. Most of the recent
deaths among the hundred odd birds
have been due to accidents or occasion
al cats.
Colds are very common ailments
among the birds, and il these are NOT
attended to often lead to roup and
diphtheria. Sometimes the latter dis
ease appears in bird almost without
warning. y very little thickeninp of
the third eyelid in n hawk may be the
only outward sign that its throat is In
a very bad diphtherltic condition. Ma
hAnD
ana, curiously enough, in herons and
otner wading birds whose ordinary
mode or life, one would think. would |
long ago have eliminated all birds dis |
posed toward such disease. Flamin- |
goes spend much Of their time standing
or walking in water, and yet they are
extremely liable when confined In |
damp places TO contract rheumatism |
This and similar complaints often |
yleia 10 treatment or Quinine alone. |
Corns are the baae OF birds WHOSE |
Sses ~ cay be <~s 7sasso a. aaA<6e TIN !
noors of the cages are rot softened nv |
q layer of sand or dirt. A corn will
Sli bird OF the largest Size II left
uhtreated. 1t is easily cured, and when
birds foot has once recovered from
such trouble it seems TO DO immune.
as the hardest concrete has no further
effect on IL.
Canker is fortunately very rare. but
the gapes, caused by tiny worms In
the throat and trachea. is more com.
mon. Instead OF rammlng an oiled
FEATHER down the poor creatures
throat much better way to effect a
cure Is TO let the bird inhale the fumes
or carbollc acid. and very few
sneezcs will dlslodge the Troublesome
worms Parrots in two or three in
stances have had peculiar disease.
ana 10y accident it was found that II
the bird was kept continually in the
giaring sunshine it recovered. Wheth-
CT the heat is the curative agent is not
yet known.-New York Post.