24 



Zurn says that diphtheria is a highly infectious disease. He claims that 

 secretion and exudation products of diseased birds are probable carriers of the 

 poison, but he did not support this statement with experiments. 



According to the statements of Siedamgrotsky, Friedberger and Perroncito, 

 it is impossible, or very difficult, to infect healthy birds with the pathological 

 products of rpupy ones. Cornevin and Nicati, on the other hand, inoculated 

 the pathological secretions of diseased birds into healthy chickens and rabbits, 

 and produced diphtheria in these animals. According to Trinchard, it is easy 

 to infect healthy birds, the time elapsing from the date of infection to the first 

 symptoms of the disease being 7-20 days. 



Babes and Puscariu were not able to produce the disease with diphtheritic 

 membranes, containing bacteria and numerous trichomonas. 



Massanti transferred the disease with fresh pseudo-membranes containin;:r 

 many flagellata. When he killed these protozoa with salt, he never succeeded 

 in producing the disease. Loir and Ducloux infected healthy birds with the 

 blood and any of the parts of organs from diseased ones. Kitt states that a 

 transfer of croupous-diphtheritic membrane to healthy birds very frequently 

 produces no infection. Friedberger and Froehner declare that diphtheria caus-d 

 by protozoa can more easily be transferred to healthy fowls than diphtheria 

 produced by bacteria. 



Moore tried to infect healthy chickens with pathological secretions and 

 exudations, and kept healthy fowls in with diseased ones ; but in no case was 

 he able to produce the disease. 



Tn the following experiments, the diseased birds were obtained from the 

 poultry department of the Ontario Agricultural College. Most of the healthy 

 ones were purchased from different farms where no roup was present, but a few 

 were secured from the Poultry Department where they had been exposed to 

 infection, but had never become afifected. 



Experiments to Ascertain if Healthy Birds Become Affected When Kept 



WITH Diseased Ones. 



Fowl No. I. Small hen about 6 months old, in fair condition. To irri- 

 tate the conjunctiva, a few drops of 2 per cent, acetic acid were dropped under 

 the left eye-lid. Then the hen was placed in the cage with diseased chickens 

 No. 1-5. 3 Dec. 01. 



Dec. 9. — General conditions unchanged. From the left nostril a little serous 

 fluid escapes, when one presses on the dorsal wall of the nose, more of this 

 secretion exudes from the nostril. 



Dec. 13.— The left nostril is closed entirely with dirty looking crusts of 

 dried up secretion, mixed with food particles. Under this crust is a small 

 quantity of a grey, sticky and putrid-stinking liquid. 



Dec. 18. — Very copious stinking secretion runs from the left nostril. Gen- 

 eral condition disturbed. The bird generally stands at the back corner of the 

 cage, in a crouching position, the head drawn close to the body and very often 

 tucked under the wing. Eyes often kept shut, and the beak generally a little 

 open. 



