I'Ori.TKV DISKASKS AND THEIR TREATMENT. 1/5 



whicli arc nnt imrnial in siuli cases are (a) the broken egg in 

 llic oviduct, aii.l ill) the fad tliat the l)ir(l is dead We have 

 had several such cases come to autopsy. They are very puz- 

 zhng. In thc'in is to l)e found the l)asis for the pouhryman's 

 behcf as to the fatal character oi this accident. In reality it 

 seems probable that in the.se cases the thing which caused the 

 egg to be broken was also the cause of the death of the bird. 

 That is, a blow, or anv sort of sudden shock \iolent enough to 

 break an egg in the oviduct might also very well be the cause of 

 death. Such cases need further study. 



^Ibiionnal lujiis. 



Owing to various diseased conditions of the oviduct many 

 different kinds of abnormal eggs are produced by fowls. The 

 explanation of the different types of such eggs is usually tol- 

 erably clear if one gets definitely in his mind the normal physi- 

 ology of egg production as outlined above. We shall con- 

 sider here only some of the more important general classes of 

 such al)normal eggs. Such eggs are very interesting from the 

 scientific standpoint but are of relatively little |)ractical signifi- 

 cance to the poultry keeper because of the rarit}- of their occur- 

 rence. 



Soft-shcUcd Bggs. These are eggs laid without a sufficient 

 amount of shell substance covering the shell membrane. The 

 immediate cause lies in a failure of tlie uterus to fiuiction prop- 

 erly. Regarding this class of abnormal eggs Wright has the 

 following to say: "Soft eggs may be caused by lack of shell- 

 material, which, if discovered, points to the remedw the most 

 rapid being potmded raw oyster-shell. Or they may be caused 

 by the fowls being driven or frightened, in whicli ca-^e tlicy soon 

 cease, and nothing need be done unless the injury has been so 

 severe as to ])rematurely detach small and miripe yolks, when 

 the ca.se becomes a real abortion, or they may be caused by con- 

 diments and too much animal food, s]Mces in particular leading 

 frequently to all sorts of trouble with the egg-organs, particu- 

 larly in the Mediterranean races of poultry. A few small doses 

 of Epsom salts or jalap, and cessation of the extra stimulus, 

 will remedy this. But far the most usual cause is simple over- 

 feeding. .\ little careful investigation will find which is in fault, 

 and that will indicate the appro])riate remedy. Want of shell 



