-poultry business. The direct losses from the disease vary greatly in 

 diflerent epidemics. Thus, in a virulent outbreak, there may be 

 many deaths in a short time ; while, in another, a flock may become 

 infected and only a few birds die. Of much greater importance are 

 the indirect losses ; and these are apt to be overlooked by farmers or 

 those who keep only a few fowl and pay but little attention to them. 

 The diseased birds recover very slowly; and they remain thin, 

 anaemic, and unfit for egg production, fattening, or breeding,— eating 

 just as much as if they were normal and living at the expense of 

 their keeper. 



%>w 



\p 



Fig. 2.— Section of a false membrane (portion of (a) Fig. 

 1, more iiighly magnified) showing pus cells (p), fibrous 

 exudate (/ ) and bacilli (6). 



General Condition of Eoupy Birds. 



The general condition of roupy birds varies very much. After 

 the first symptom of the disease, which is usually a putrid catarrh 

 from the nostrils, the affected fowl is generally restless, separates 

 from other members of the flock, becomes dull, cowers in the corner 

 of the coop, or mopes in the corner of the pen, with its head drawn 

 close to its body and often covered with its wings. 



If there is a severe discharge from the nostrils or eyes, then the 

 feathers upon the wings or back are likely to be smeared with it, 

 stick together, and after some time fall out ; and the eyes are often 

 shut, the lids being glued together by the sticky discharge from them. 



A fowl in a sleepy condition, or moping as described, frequently 

 rouses itself for a time, takes food, and especially water, and then 

 gradually returns to the apathetic condition. ^ 



Many fowls having the disease in a chronic form keep their 

 normal appetite for a long time, and seem very little disturbed physi- 



