Evening star., 1916-08-13
BY MYRA KELSEY COX.

BY MYRA KELSEY cox.
'Limberneck." properly. speaking, is a
| species of ptomaine poisoning in fowls.
Chickens, turkeys. guineas or ducks
| may succumb. with the last two more
! susceptible. This ratio is attributed to
of the latter fowls When the required
| supply of insect food fails. the fowls
| fall upon the substitute next at hand.
whence all the mischief.
"Limberneck" is warm weather
| disease. 1t never appears in cold
| weather. Sometimes it claims single
victim: again 1t may devastate a poul-
try yard, sparing neither chicken. duck
, nor guinea.
Identifying the Disease.
The symptoms are unmistakable
The victim may be found in one of two
stages. Usually the collapse is sud-
den. The healthy hen of last night lies
PROSTATE this morning in a corner of
the chicken house, with rumpled feath-
ers. closed eyes and outstretched spine
less neck (whence the name of the dis
easel. In few hours, or perhaps a
day or two, she dies. The ravenous
gawky ducks of the noontime meal, at
night creep or flop homeward, as if
hurt across the back. 1t has happened
that Muscovy duck and her brood of
fourteen. well at daybreak, were dead
at night of this trouble
III the poisoning is mild the fowl af-
fected appears to be suffering with an
half closed and tail depressed. Natu-
rally it evinces no interest in food for
1t has almost lost the ability to swal-
low. Diarrhea is present, but the
comb and wattles retain the scarlet of
health. Such case may recover.
Young ducks have survived after such
an attack, to succumb to a second. The
half-shut eye is symptomatic Of the
nghtest attack: A general paralysis
in coma till death.
The fowls affected have fed on putrid
flesh or ON insects eating thereof,
which include the larvae of flies
Ptomaine poisoning ensues. with the
feathered unfortunates that charac-
terfZes human being so smitten
Fowls. particularly weak little ones,
dying in obscure places, furnish the
material for infection. Especially on
farms where poultry runs at large is
it.dffficult to find these carcasses which
may be the result of accident Ener-
getic fowls in their search for food
discover them to their own disaster
Manifestations of Its Work.
Ducks confined in large numbers on
limited space crave the animal food de-
manded by their nature. If their ra-
ton lacks this feature they will sup
ply it at the first opportunity. vo-
racity and a tendency to scavengering
prove their undoing. Unless every dead
duck is found before its body becomes
a temptation to the survivors, the dis
ease is rampant.
A successful turkey raiser of some
years ago used to relate an experience
bearing on this subject. Her turkeys,
over hundred in number and about
two and one-half months old. came
home at nightfall. staggering and
choking. That night many died. 9th
ers followed in the next succeeding
days. She performed a post-mortem
had robbed her of her seasons work
In the crops she found numbers of
long. ugly black beetles. At the lower
field. the goal of their daily routine, on
buried carcass of a calf. swarming with
the black beetles. The farmhand's
carelessness had played havoc with her
flock. and she had learned a valuable.
but dearly bought lesson.
a raiser of guineas opened the door
OF their house one dry, hot August
morning. No eager. futtering. hungry
young creatures welcomed her. Thirty
of the hundred with one of the foster
mothers lay PROSTATE on the floor or
roosts. head dangling, necks limp,
wings spread. She knew the trouble.
An investigation began. In the ex-
treme end of the orchard d dead goose
buried in the dusty soil week before
had been disinterred by stray dogs.
In their craving for the carnivorous
the guineas had feasted and paid the
penalty of their appetites.
Castor Oil and Turpentine Treatment
Sometimes fowls recover. Nine
tenths die. There is little satisfaction
in treating fowls suffering with timber
neck. The object is to flush the digest
i've tract to rid it of any poisonous mat
ter yet unassimilated. If the fowl is
not in total collapse the best practical
treatment, out of number of things
tried, seems to be a dose of one-half
teaspoonful castor oil, followed with a
few drops of turpentine on dampened
meat. These doses must be given forcibly
as the throat muscles seem partially
paralyzed. The most effectual treat
ment is the ak. with a safe disposal
of the body. The first transgression of
fowls eating tainted flesh is usually
dictated by a lack in their diet, the
same instinct that causes hens to eat
eggs. In the days OF small hocks, fowls
secured sufficient for themselves The
modern habit of concentration of large
numbers within small limits imposes
the necessity Of catering scrupulously
to the fundamental needs of poultry
The Ounce Of Prevention.
Many fowls on small premises, either
penned or at liberty. are endangered
A large range. allowing fowls to supply
themselves naturally in their rowing,
acts as a preventive. In any event, it
behooves the poultry-keep to dispose
safely of all dead fowls. small or large
This applies to all decomposing natter
Burning is better than burying San
itation and the health of the fowls
demand this care.
Hints for Poultry Raisers.
That heavy egg production is inherited
through the male has long been the be-
lief of practical poultrymen who have
given time to investigation and to the
tabulation of results of their researches
According to this theory males designed
to head breeding pens should always be