This is a disease to which birds that have been caught recently are very subject, before they are accustomed to their new food. Most of these die of it: they continually void a white calcareous matter, which sticks to the feathers round the vent, and being very acrid causes inflammation in that part and in the intestines. Sometimes chalybeate water and the oil clyster produce good effects; but it is better, if possible, to procure for the bird its most natural food. Some people pull out the feathers from the tail and vent, and then rub these parts with fresh butter, but this is a very painful and cruel operation. They also mix the yolk of an egg boiled very hard with their food, but I have never found this succeed very well. If there be any hope of curing this disease it is by attacking it at the beginning, before inflammation is violent; boiled bread and milk, a great deal of lettuce, or any other similar green refreshing food, in general completely cures them.
In a case of chronic diarrhœa, which almost reduces the birds to skeletons, Dr. Handel prescribes chalybeate water mixed with a little milk for their drink, which, he says, is an easy and certain cure.
THE BLOODY FLUX.
This is a disease with which some parrots are attacked. The best remedy is to make the birds drink a great deal of boiled milk, or even very fat broth; for their intestines, which are very much irritated, require something soothing to protect them from the acrid discharges, which, at the same time, must be corrected by healing food. Birds in this state generally do nothing but drink, therefore plenty of boiled milk should be given them, as it nourishes them, as well as acts medicinally, but should it appear to turn sour in the stomach it must, at least for some time, be discontinued.
OBSTRUCTION IN THE RUMP GLAND.
This gland, which is on the rump, and contains the oil necessary for anointing the feathers, sometimes becomes hard and inflamed, and an abscess forms there. In this case the bird often pierces it itself, or it may be softened by applying fresh butter without any salt; but it is better to use an ointment made of white lead, litharge, wax, and olive oil, which may be had at any good chemist’s. The general method is to pierce or cut the hardened gland, in order to let out the matter, but if this operation removes the obstruction it also destroys the gland, and the bird will die in the next moulting, for want of oil to soften the feathers[12].
The gland is known to be obstructed when the feathers which surround it are ruffled, the bird never ceasing to peck them, and instead of being yellow it becomes brown. This disease is very rare among wild birds, for, being exposed to damp, and bathing often, they make more use of the liquor in the gland, consequently it does not accumulate sufficiently to become corrupted, sour, or cancerous. This confirms the necessity of giving them the means of bathing as often as instinct would induce them, as nothing can be more favourable to their health.
Dr. Handel, after piercing the gland, recommends a little magnesia to be mixed with the bird’s drink.