DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT 85 



the time treatment was commenced, and four had died. The 

 discharge from the bowels was of a greenish-yellow color, 

 somewhat simulating fowl cholera. One tablet was dissolved 

 in a pint of water, and this fluid mixed with bran and corn 

 chop. The mixture was then fed in clean troughs. In this 

 way each bird got approximately one-half grain. This was 

 repeated night and morning. No additional birds became 

 sick; only two of the sick died; and the rest recovered. 



"Another flock consisted of 175 baby chicks. As soon as 

 these birds were taken from the incubator they were fed 

 the unhatched eggs that had been cooked and chopped. This 

 mixture was reported to possess an offensive odor. The birds 

 began dying, with symptoms of diarrhea, white, pasty vent; 

 weakness, dullness, droopy wings, etc.; one-half the flock 

 died before treatment was commenced. One-half tablet was 

 dissolved in warm water and the bread saturated with it. 

 The birds immediately quit dying. 



"Still another flock consisted of 200 birds, including a few 

 turkeys. Cholera had appeared on the premises the fall be- 

 fore. The outbreak was studied in the field and in the labora- 

 tory. The cholera germ (Bacillus avisepticus) was isolated. 

 In the last outbreak, fourteen birds had died and several 

 were sick. Treatment similar to that described above was 

 used. Water, containing the sulphocarbolates was kept con- 

 stantly before them. No more birds were taken sick and no 

 more died after the sixth day." 



Vaccination witli a vaccine made from the 

 germs producing the disease, has given excellent 



results. 



Scholbe states a serum has been prepared, but 

 that it renders immunity only for about two weeks. 



Entero-Hepatitis (Blackhead) 



This is essentially a disease of turkeys, among 

 the young of which it is quickly fatal. It has 

 practically annihilated the turkey-raising industry 

 in sections where it was formerly profitable and 

 carried on extensively. Although the turkey is 

 more susceptible to blackhead than any other bird, 

 serious losses among chickens sometimes occur. 



Cause.— This disease is claimed by Dr. Theo. 

 Smith, formerly of the Bureau of Animal Indus- 

 try, to be due to a protozoon (Ameha meleagridis) 



