keep it from hardening again, and the next day, if her breath smells
bad, there is a rottenness in her stomach, then give her most as much of
epsom salts again. Put a little flour porridge in her mouth with a
teaspoon, three times a day, and a little soaked cracker, soaked in
water; put a little in her mouth if she can swallow it, in five days she
eat with the hens and be well. This is the way I cure them. Folks bring
hens to me in this disease, to the point of death, been sick a long
time, I cure them in five days; they must not have any milk in this
disease, it will kill them, do as I tell you and you can cure them. Once
in a great while one of my hens have stoppage in their stomach; I cure
them with only my fingers, because I take her as soon as the corn stops.
Milk does not agree with hens in sickness nor health, it keeps up in
their stomach, and they vomit it up. I think strange it does not agree
with hens, because milk is so good for human. You must not give your
hens any castor oil, nor rhubarb, in not any disease whatever; it is
poison for them, my reason tells me so, and I hear of folks killing
their hens by giving them such stuff. My hens all keep healthy, because
I keep them clean, and keep victuals and clean water standing by them,
and take good care of them. I can cure a good many diseases for hens,
but I cannot cure every disease. Every once in a while a sick hen is
brought to me, to the point of death, been sick a great while, most
dead, some ail one disease, some ail a number of diseases; I receive
them into my care, I doctor them, and take care of them, I raise them up
to health, I am unable to do anything, but I must take pity.

FROTH IN THROAT.--If a hen has froth in her throat and crop, measure a
small teaspoonful of epsom salts, dissolve it, put in a little black
pepper, and give it to her with a teaspoon, it will cure this disease;
but if she make a screaming noise with it, and distressed with it, then
a sore growing in her, then no cure.

GAPES.--If a hen or chicken gapes a great deal, and sick, and complains
of her throat, make pills of black pepper, cream, white flour, and put a
pill in her mouth and make her swallow it till she takes down enough;
the black pepper kills the worms. I cure them so.

BAG STONE.--This is a seldom case, I have known this case once in a
while. If a hen has a bag of stones grow in her, hang down under her,
you must give her the best of good cake to eat, the stones wi