POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 55 



to die with all the pathological appearances of blackhead, which 

 diagnosis has been confirmed witli tlic microscope. Further- 

 more, infection there with this organism appears to be one of 

 the principal causes of death of brooder chicks, which exhibit 

 [he symptoms of one form of the poultryman's greatest scourge, 

 white diarrhea.' It has often been said of late : If you want 

 to raise turkeys keep them away from chickens; it might be 

 oaid with even greater emphasis : If you want to raise chickens, 

 keep turkeys away from them." 



Dr. G. B. Morse of the U. S. Department of Agriculture 

 ^ives (Reliable Poultry Journ., Sept., 1910) a number of other 

 diseases which affect the liver. Some of these which are not 

 treated elsewhere in this circular will \yv mentioned in the fol- 

 lowing paragraphs. 



Cercomoniasis. 



This is frequently called "spotted liver." ii, like many other 

 liver diseases, is associated with intestinal trouble, especially 

 severe diarrhea, that attacks poultr}- during the summer months. 

 The disease is caused by a flagellate micro-organism known as 

 Monocercomonas gallinarnm. The post-mortem appearance of 

 the liver in this disease shows usually slightly depressed yellow- 

 ish necrotic areas or spots. This fact usually distinguished this 

 disease from tuberculosis where there are prominent rounded 

 cheesy nodules. In pigeons, liowever. this cercomonad is said 

 to cause rounded prominent nodules about the size of a pea. 



This same organism (Monocercomonas gallinarum) is also 

 said to be responsible for other diseases. The most important 

 of these is one form of roup. Canker in squabs and intestinal 

 diarrhea in poultry are other diseases attributed to this parasite. 



This disease can be held in check, it is said, by keeping the 

 poultry plant well cleaned and disinfected and by giving the 

 birds an occasional purgative, c. g., Epsom salts. 



In aspergillosis, the liver often presents the appearance of 

 being "studded all over with minute, whitish or yellowish spots." 

 This disease is discussed in Chapter XIX. 



Sarconiatosis and Carcinomatosis. 



In some cases the liver is aft'ected with tumors or cancers. 

 These are usually found in connection with similar develop- 

 ments on the ovaries. 



