Course and Prognosis, Diagnosis, Treatment, 435 



The acute form so common in southern countries usually 

 ends fatally in 4 to 8 days. 



Diagnosis. The earlier differential symptoms between avian 

 diphtheria and chicken pox have lost their significance since the 

 discovery of an identical etiology for both diseases. 



The contagious catarrh of the nose (coryza contagiosa) 

 is confined exclusively to the nasal cavity, runs a course with- 

 out any development of pseudo-membranes and is therefore not 

 associated with as severe symptoms as diphtheria. — ''Pips" 

 which might be mistaken for the beginning of diphtheria, is 

 confined to the tongue, the discoloration occurring by simple 

 drying of the epithelium, acute inflammatory symptoms being- 

 absent. — In mycosis aspergillina the deposits on the palate and 

 nose are dryer and sometimes of a greenish color ; the fungi 

 are easily demonstrated with the aid of the microscope. 



Treatment. So long as the disease is confined to the skin 

 proper treatment will usually effect a cure, and the affection of 

 the mucous membranes may sometimes be arrested in its in- 

 cipiency and a cure effected. The nodules and nodes on the 

 skin are softened with ointments, oil or soda solution and 

 removed; the mucous membrane deposits are caught with 

 forceps and carefully stripped off or removed with a piece 

 of cotton on the end of a stick or other object. The exposed 

 surface is painted once or twice a day with 1% silver nitrate 

 solution (if in the mouth apply an after treatment of saline 

 solution), 1% corrosive sublimate solution (after treatment with 

 soda solution), with lactic acid, lemon juice, 2% creolin or lysol 

 solution, tincture of iodine (with Tinct. gallarum aa), or the 

 skin is painted with concentrated glycerin. 



The secretion which accumulates in the eyes is washed out 

 with warm water and the eye is subsequently treated with 2% 

 boric acid, tannin or creolin. Tumors below the eyes are to 

 be opened early and after thorough evacuation of the cavities 

 these should be thoroughly cleansed. 



For the difficult respiration inhalations of turpentine and 

 tar vapors may be tried while against intestinal catarrh tannin 

 or sulphate of iron (1% solution in drinking water), red wine 

 (spoonful doses) or other astringents (in geese, glycerin) may 

 be employed, but in most cases treatment is here of little avail. 



Local treatment must be continued until the cleansed skin 

 or mucous membrane shows no new nodules or deposits. In 

 those instances where proper treatment is not available or 

 impractical, or where the birds are of little value, it will 

 prove more practicable to suppress the disease by killing the 

 diseased animals or even destroying the entire number of fowls 

 on the farm, and instituting thorough disinfection of the coops. 



Prevention. The general prophylactic measures, such as 

 isolation of the diseased and removal of the dead birds, cleans- 



