SANITATION 63 



ward. Tlio same directions apply with equal force to the 

 ilnding of dead l)irds among the well ones. Remove the car- 

 cass immediately, and unless there is conclusive evidence that 

 death was not due to disease disinfect the place where it has 

 lain. 



Sick birds should be placed by themselves, where they will 

 not be molested by other birds or animals. They should be 

 given as comfortable quarters as possible and be disturbed 

 only for treatment. Unless the poultryman is very positive 

 that he knows what ails the sick bird, and what means should 

 be taken to prevent others in the flock from acquiring the 

 same disease, he will usually find it best to call a veterinarian 

 and leave the matter with him ; particularly is this true if 

 there are a large number of birds on the premises or if the 

 flock be one of high value, because of pure breeding. 



Immediately after the removal of a dead bird from the 

 flock the poultryman should satisfy himself as to the cause 

 of its death. If it is obviously due to accident or if it is due 

 to some disease already recognized as present in the flock 

 such action should be taken as the conditions" seem to Avar- 

 rant, but if there is any doubt as to what has occasioned the 

 death a careful autopsy should be held. Since a postmorter.-i 

 examination ordinarily means very little to one without at 

 least some fundamental training in pathology, the poultry- 

 man will ordinarily find it advantageous to take the dead 

 bird to his veterinarian for examination. This should be 

 done immediat'cly, before the changes incident to decompo- 

 sition have masked the lesions which disease may have pro- 

 duced, or before parasites that may have caused death have 

 changed their location or escaped from the body. 



Mode of Performing Autopsy 



Lay the bird on its back. AYith a sharp knife open the 

 abdominal wall, commencing close to the anus, passing the 

 knife forward between the ribs and breastbone to a point 

 just back of the ''wishbone" (clavicle). In like manner 

 open the left side, being careful not to injure any of the 

 organs in the cavities. Now grasp the sternum or breast- 

 bone, forcing it forward, and it will break so that it will be 

 easy to remove it. This will lay the cavities open so that all 

 organs can be observed, as illustrated and named in Fig. 2, 

 to which refer for further description. 



. The final disposal of carcasses of birds, whether dying from 

 known or unknown causes, should be carefuUv attendf^d to. 

 The habit of throwing dead birds onto the nearest manure 



