_Symptoms._ This disease cannot be diagnosed except by post-mortem examination and microscopic identification of pus-forming organisms in the infected areas (whitish spots) of liver, spleen, etc. _Cause._ Pus-forming organisms believed to enter the blood through a wound in the skin. _Treatment._ As there are no external symptoms, treatment is not possible. RHEUMATISM _Not a common trouble_ _Symptoms._ Lameness and stiffness of joints. _Cause._ May be due in some cases to too stimulating food and to dampness. _Treatment._ Put affected bird in dry quarters and vary food, adding more greens. Rub joints with embrocation, or turpentine and oil. ROUP (CONTAGIOUS CATARRH) _One of the most serious contagious diseases_ _Symptoms._ The bird first has symptoms of an ordinary cold, such as running at the nostrils and sneezing. Definite evidence of roup is the _offensive odor_ detected on opening the bird’s mouth. The exudate is also offensive. The disease may attack the eyes, which then become inflamed and swollen; a tumor, containing offensive, yellowish, cheesy matter, sometimes develops. The course of the disease may extend over several weeks or months and there may be cases of chronic roup. Some cases end fatally in a comparatively short time. The form of the disease, in which yellowish patches develop on the throat, is dealt with under diphtheria or diphtheritic roup. [Illustration: FIG. 19.—EXAMINING A FOWL WITH A SUSPICIOUS COLD] _Cause._ Cases of roup occur when birds are subjected to draft and damp, but the cause must be infection with disease germs. It is believed that the almost constant presence of the germs is due to lack of regular disinfection and to birds in the flock believed to have recovered from a previous attack of the disease, but that, in reality, are suffering from chronic roup, and are able, whenever suitable conditions arise for an outbreak of this disease, to infect the rest of the flock through the drinking water and the soil. _Treatment._ The seriousness of this disease makes it imperative for the poultry rearer to isolate immediately any birds showing any suspicious symptoms. If treatment of the infected bird is taken in hand early, and carried out faithfully, a cure can be effected, but it is often wiser to kill and burn infected stock. In treating birds, the mouth and nostrils should be washed out with 5% carbolic acid, or with 50% hydrogen peroxide, or with 2% permanganate of potash. It is important to clean out the passage of the nostrils, and this may be done by: 1. Pressing against the roof of the bird’s mouth from inside and squeezing the nostrils from above downwards. 2. Syringing out the nostrils. 3. Dipping the fowl’s head for a few seconds in a solution of the disinfectant. Great care should be exercised in this method of treatment, which is only recommended when permanganate of potash is used.