POULTRY JOTTINGS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 8115, 10 November 1904, Page 4

POULTRY JOTTINGS.

By ORPINGTON. In reading the report of Council meeting in the Star last .week, , I noticed that one Councillor made reierence to the unhealthy state of some of the tollhouses in Hawera, and I can quite bear out his remarks. In fact, 1 would express my opinion in much stronger language It is a disgrace to those £ authority that such a state of things a by-law in reference.to.fowlhouses in the borough, and although it is a stupid one some use might be made ° f At* different times I have advocated closer supervision of fowlhouses; but possibly it is wasted energy. When we read in borough reports that these places referred to are in a sanitary state it is simply ridiculous, for in close proximity to the Council Chambers there are fowl yaids teeming with filth and disease. . There is scarcely a day goes by that I | am not asked to come and see sick poultry in some part of the town. Disease is simply rampant in the borough, and within the last week or two I have seen several cases of tuberculosis, diphtheria, and other serious complaints, and in most cases the cause is attributable to tilth and contamination. This state of things will exist until such time as we get proper supervision. If people cannot keep fowls in a proper manner fliey should not be allowed to keep them at all ' Our by-laws and public health laws are so one-sided, we see the poor, unfortunate Chinaman prosecuted For selling bad fruit and the milk vendor in trouble because he does not keep his cowsheds clean; but the man who sells his eggs from diseased and sick birds gets off scot free. . There is more disease spread by fowls than people imagine. If a hen is suffering from tuberculosis in the liver, which ia most grave and very common, the bacilli often reach the oviduct, and hence may become actually included in the white of the egg and perhaps the yolk. These eggs are sold, and may be taken as a diet of eggs and milk by an invalid, with very serious results to the patient. Some, I have no doubt, will laugh at this statement, but these facts are true, and the time is not far distant when we will hear the physician raising his voice in the matter. Fowls are very susceptible to disease, and when people are allowed to keep fifty fowls where twelve should be the limit (and then only for certain periods of the year) we can never expect to eradicate it. I could fill a column on this matter, but possibly these few remarks will spur on the local Board of Health to do something in the matter. At all events let us hope so. I will be pleased to give them any information at any time that would be of any use.