A substance historically used as a supposed remedy or treatment for the gapes disease in birds.
Compound of 'gapes' plus 'seed,' referring to seeds or seed-based remedies that farmers would administer to affected birds. Many such folk remedies lacked scientific basis but seemed to work occasionally by chance.
Farmers' desperate remedies for gapes included everything from special seeds to inserting feathers down birds' throats to dislodge worms—some actually worked accidentally by physically removing parasites.
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