TOBACCO AND CHICKEN'S.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Issue 45, 10 August 1878, Page 3

TOBACCO AND CHICKEN'S.

Tobacco, it appears, is invaluable as a medicine for sick chickens, and some remarkable instances of its curative effect.-, when used as a remedy for the aliments of poultry are given by a correspondent of the Pacific Rural Press, nn American publication. One case mentioned is that of a young cock, about six monthold, which fell suddenly ill. The symptoms soon became alarming:" his head turned black, his feathers all ruffled up, and he appeared blind and stupid, and seemed to wish to push his beak along in front of him on the ground." The cock gradually fell into a state of complete coma, being unable to recognize surrounding objects, and the worst results were anticipated. As a last resource he was dozed with a quid of tobacco, and was laid down as it happened, but not intentionally, with his head reclining near a water puddle. In about five minutes he began to drink vigorously from the puddle, still lying on his side and apparently quite blind. Ten minutes later he lifted himself on his legs and staggered into the chicken-house, where he remained in retirement for nearly two hours, when he emerged from the shed, strutting about in perfect health in co.npany with other fowds. In due course of time he was killed and eaten, when he proved to he as fat and healthy as any of Ids mates. Many other cases are reooi d )d of wonderful cures effected on fowls by doses of tobacco, which should be given in large quids about the size of the first joint of a man's thumb. This testimony to the medicinal value of tobacco, however painful to those who pronounce it to be a slow poison and who aro never tired of assailing it with opprobrious epithets (such as the " noxious weed," &c), is worthy of note, as it may turn out that instead of being a deadly drug it is valuable remedial agent, deserving encouragement rather than suppression, and a boon to humanity removing many of those ills which flesh is heir to. Its use in the poultry-yard is probably more common than is generally known, to judgo by the flavor of chickens now supplied by poulterers. The flavor of the " drumstick," is often remarkably similar to that of an old clay pipe.