NEUROLYMPHOMATOSIS 



29 



M-68, N-49, F-286, F-1095, M-986, F-1064, F-24, F-286-C-35, and F-286-C-128, 

 showed infiltration of neurolymphomatous cells into one or more ovules, and 

 the disease appeared in one or more of their chickens. Neurolymphomatous 

 cells were not found in any of the ovules from M-1790, M-1992, VQ-1908, and 

 VQ-1988, yet each produced at least one paralytic chick. 



The coeliac plexus and ovaries of F-1488 and VQ-1987 were infiltrated with 

 neurolymphomatous cells, but no paralytic chickens were produced by them. 

 The coeliac plexus only was involved in hens M-3065, VQ-1803, and VQ-1908, 

 and neurolymphomatosis did not occur in the chickens from the first two; but 

 VQ-1908 had two affected chickens, and in some way which is not understood 

 pathological cells were repeatedly found in the follicular fluid. 



Chicken Embryos Inoculated With Living Neurolymphomatous 



Cells 



Since neurolymphomatosis appeared to be transmitted naturally through the 

 egg, an attempt was made to transmit it artificially. For this experiment 250 

 eggs were selected by candling to ensure living embryos, and divided into five 

 groups of 50 eggs each. A piece of the shell was removed and two drops of a 

 sterile suspension of living neurolymphomatous cells in physiological saline 

 solution dropped upon the embryo. The shell was replaced and sealed into 

 position with plaster of Paris. The results of this experiment are recorded in 

 Table 16, and indicate that neurolymphomatosis may be transmitted in this 

 way until the embryos are about 15 days old. The fact that infection did not 

 occur after this age does not necessarily mean that the nervous system is more 

 resistant to the disease, because it may be that as the embryo grows it is more 

 protected from infective agents introduced beneath the shell. 



Table 16. — Results of Inoculating Chicken Embryos with Living 

 Neurolymphomatous Cells 



Living neurolymphomatous cells were introduced into the yolks of 100 eggs 

 which were immediately placed in the incubator. In this experiment a small 

 hole was drilled through the egg shell and the cells introduced by means of a 

 sterile hypodermic needle and syringe. The hole was sealed with plaster of 

 Paris. Neurolymphomatosis was not transmitted to any of the chickens in this 

 way, since 65 of these were raised to eight months of age without any indications 

 of disease. 



