Post Mortem Examinations.



285



POST MORTEM EXAMINATIONS.



RULES.


Each bird must be forwarded, as soon after deatli as possible, carefully packed and postage

paid, direct to Mr. Arthur Gill, M.R.C.V.S., Veterinary Establishment, Bexley Heath,

Kent, and must be accompanied by a letter containing the fullest particulars of

the case. Domestic poultry, pigeons, and Canaries cannot be dealt with. No

replies can be sent by post.



Banded Paurakeet, lieu. (Miss F. Sliowell). Found dead in aviary.


[Concussion of brain : there being a blood-clot over the entire right

side of the head].


Californian Quail, hen. (Miss R. Alderson). Feathers fluffed up,

slightly lame on one foot, put in a warm place, suddenly collapsed and

died. [Cause of death was inflammation of the oviduct owing to


retention of a broken and partially shelled egg. Your soft food is apt

to cause this want of shell formation. These birds do well on dry seed

and green food, with a small amount of egg or insect food occasionally].


PENNANT ParrakeeT, young hen. (Mr. A. J, Salter). Purchased only a

few days; yesterday appeared drowsy, but no outward symptom of

ailment; this morning excrement watery; fell off perch, dead; has

been kept in conservatory and fed on canary seed. [Acute enteritis


cause of death. Likely causes : sudden change of diet, very cold water

to drink, or contracted chill]. _


Red-headed Gouldian. (Captain B. R. Horsbrugli). Bought five days

ago, seemed well, looked puffy, kept fluttering his wings. [Cannot

understand bird appearing well: he is a mere frame. Death was due to

heart failure, caused by exhaustion subsequent on malassimilation of

food, hence the extreme wasting].


Lovebird. (Rev. R. II. Wilmot). [No particulars of symptoms.

Fractured skull was cause of death].



Lavender Finch. (Mr. Bathe). Found dead. [Concussion of brain

caused by an injury to back of skull].



Hen Cockatiel and Java Sparrow. (Lady Carnegie). 1st, Found dead

this morning; I think I broke an egg when feeling bird over. Bird

excessively fat; died of egg binding ; fed on canary, millet, oats, cuttle

fish bone, old mortar, and green food. 2nd, Found dead; had not

apparently been ailing. [Bird a great deal too fat. Fatty degener¬


ation of liver was cause of death].


Satin Bower Bird. (Mrs. Johnstone). Found dead. It appeared to be

quite well yesterday; kept in an outdoor aviary; been out a month.

[I am at a loss to understand how it was the bird showed no symptoms

of ill health, as the liver and bowels were acutely inflamed and must

certainly have been thus not less than twenty-four hours].



