YoL. VIII. Xo. 195. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



335 



POULTRY NOTES. 



DETERMINATION OF CAUSE OF 



DEATH IN FOWLS. 



The following useful hints for the conduct of 

 a pose mortem e.xaminution of fowls that have died 

 suddenly, for tlie purpose of ascertaining the cause of 

 death where this is unknown, are ta:ken from the 

 Rliodeslan Agricultural Joa i-nal, August 1909: — 



First it is advisable to examine the outside of the speci- 

 men for wounds, bruise.s, .skin diseases or brojceu limbs. The 

 appearance of the comb, face and plumage should be noted. 

 The mouth and throat must be examined, and any abnormal 

 conditions, such as a purplish colour, grov^tlis of a cheesy 

 nature or accumulations of saliva be observed. The fowl 

 ma}- then be laid on its back upon a table, jits feet towards 

 the operator, and the wings held down on either side, well 

 spread away from the body. Pluck a few, of the feather.s 

 from each side of the breast and abdomen, and while this is 

 being done, note the appearance of the skin, or whether the 

 fowl is thin or fat, or in an apparently healthy condition. If 

 there is scarcely any Hesh upon the keel bone, liver disease 

 may be suspected, and the feathers being matted and dirty 

 about the vent often indicates enteritis or i..fli:|,mmation of the 

 bo'wels, particularly if the e.tcrement is of a white or yellow- 

 ish-green colour. Now make a cross cut in the skin of the 

 abdomen immediately behind the breast bone, taking care 

 not to touch the bowels. Run the scissors down each side 

 ta the back, and then make a lateral cut through the ribs on 

 both sides. The whole of the breast may then be lifted up 

 and forced back tow-ards the bird's head, exposing the 

 gizzard, liver and heart. The remaining skin on the 

 abdomen may be cut on either side and drawn away towards 

 the stern, showing the entrails, and, if the bird is a hen, 

 the egg organs between them and the back. The liver may 

 be examined first, as it will be the first organ to strike the 

 eye. It should be firm, not unnaturally large, and of 

 a healthy chocolate-red colour. It should not have a yellow- 

 brown tint, nor should it show specks of any kind. 



If an incision is made through the thin diaphragm- 

 atic membrane between the liver and the walls of the 

 chest, the lungs will be seen on either side at the back 

 of the heart. These organs, if healthy, , should be of 

 a bright sahnon-pink colour, and a piece of qne put in water 

 should float. They are frequently affected by tuberculosis, 

 which shows itself in little j'ellowisli growths or nodules, 

 which also not infix^juently spread and attack the heart. 

 The latter organ should be of a deep red colour, and 

 altliough it may have a marbling of fat round its base, this 

 should not be excessive, and any specks of fat that may 

 appear should not be mistaken for the tuberctilosis nodules 

 already mentioned. The heart should be evenly shaped and 

 not distended with blood on the one side, and, shrunken and 

 empty on the other. If it is so, and it is known that the 

 fowl dropped down dead suddenly, the cause of death may 

 without hesitation be put down to syncope, or heart failure. 



The throat, crop and gizzard may. next be looked at, the 

 ' caiial ' being laid open right alongi for any obstruction that 

 may have taken place — au accideiit that would be more 

 likely to occur between the crop apd the proventricle than 

 anywhere else. In the case of a heii, the cause of death may 

 often be found in the egg organ.s. There may be some 

 contents of a broken egg in the oviduct, or there may have 

 been an escape of some of those contents into the abdominal 

 cavity, w-here acute inflammation would immediately be set 

 up, peritonitis bringing about speedy death. The gizzard 

 may bo cut open and the contents examined. The intestines 

 should be of a greyish-white coloui*, and the kidneys, which 

 are fixed to the spine, a reddish btown. If the symptoms 

 before death are observed, it will seldom be necessary to go 

 through all the various organs of the body in search of the 

 affected parts. For instance, a dejected look, a yellow hue 

 of face and comb, variable appetite and loss of flesh will 

 denote tuberculosis or some liver affection. Diarrhoea will 

 usually indicate some intestinal irritation. An apoplectic 

 seizure and delirium will point to an eft'usion of blood upon 

 the brain, and, as already pointed out, a fainting fit, 

 followed by death, directs one to look at the heart for 

 confirmation. ; 



RICE IN BRITISH GUIANA. 



The last fortnis^htly report of Messrs. Sandbach' 

 Parker & Co., of Georoetown, on the rice industry of 

 British Guiana, dated October 1, 1909, gives information 

 as follows : — 



The weather during the past fortnight has been very 

 hot, and reaping has commenced in some districts, but will 

 not be general until the middle of the month. 



The local demand is still dull, . dealers holding off" in 

 anticipation of reduced prices for new rice. 



The new rice crop will not be in the market in any 

 (juantity before the end of the present month, although small 

 lots are now being offered. 



Shipments to the West India Islands during the fort- 

 night amounted to 3,600 bags. 



We quote to-day, f.o.b. Demerara, for good export 

 (juality :— j 



Nominally 1 8s. 9cl. to 19s. 9r?. ger bag of 180 lb. gross. 



17s. M. to 18s. M. ], „ „ 164 lb. „ 

 We have, however, no stock to offer for export at present. 



I Rubber in Nigeria. 



According to the African WoHd, the desire of Sir 

 Alfred Jones, K.L'.M.G., to further the Para rubber afforesta- 

 tion of the Eastern Province of Southern Nigeria, by carrying 

 distributed plants in his steamers, -freight free, is already 

 acting as a stimulus, particularly to h'ative chiefs and traders 

 possessing farm lands. Promptly following the free delivery 

 of 2,000 Hevea plants, .5,000 havS been applied for by 

 another important native chief, and similarly large orders 

 are expected from enterprising natives. The Forest Officer 

 of the Eastern Province has over 3O,00O plants to distribute 

 this year, and assuming that 90 pet cent, of them grow, 

 there will be next year over 50,000 Hevea trees in the 

 province, growing vigorously in different suitable localities. 

 (The India-Rubber Journal, August 23, 1902.) 



