92 



confounded, Tuberculosis is the most frequent, and this 

 too in spite of the fact that if even the latter exists at 

 all in birds outside the Gallinaceae, which is doubtful, 

 it is is exceedingly rare. My colleague in the 

 Avicultural Society, Mr. Gill, says in a private letter, 

 for quoting from which I hope he will forgive me, 

 that " tuberculosis is really not common in birds as is 

 usually supposed," although, as lie says in another 

 part of the same letter, there are " cases of caseous 

 deposit in the lungs which without microscopic 

 examination one would consider tuberculous." My 

 friend Dr. Clarke, who for many 3'ears has worked 

 exclusively at pathology and bacteriology, tells me 

 he has never 3'et met with a case of avian tuberculosis 

 in any species whatever either wild or domesticated. 

 I myself after preparing and examining hundreds of 

 microscopical slides am bound to say the same thing, 

 although it is true that some months ago I did for a 

 short time think I had at last found a case. Sub- 

 sequent and careful investigations have however led 

 me to abandon that opinion with conviction, and I am 

 therefore still in quest of what those who rely on the 

 naked eye alone would have us believe is so common.*'' 



These caseous nodules spoken of b}^ Mr. Gill as 

 sometimes found in the lungs are of very common 

 occurrence in the liver and spleen in certain types of 

 septicaemia, and more especially in those very virulent 

 and infectious ones which constitute fatal epidemics, 

 and which may with propriety be dignified with a 

 special name — Septic Fever. But even in these cases 

 and even without the aid of the microscope a short 

 review of the attendant circumstances should .shew 

 us how wide is the gulf that separates Septic Fever 



• I would ask the members of the Foreig-n Bird Club to help me in this 

 quest by sending me any bird of theirs that may die of lingering and wasting- 

 disease, whether Fowl, Pigeon, or Cage-bird, as apart from any interest 

 attaching to inoculated Tuberculosis there would be a special importance 

 connected with spontaneous cases. 



