TRANSMISSIBLE FOWL LEUKOSIS 33 



TREATMENT 



The majority of attempts to find a therapeutic substance for the treatment 

 of fowl leukosis have given discouraging results. 



Jarniai (99) reported that irradiation with roentgen rays in the early stages 

 of the disease would occasionally cause a decrease in the number of leukemic 

 cells in the blood and prevent the development of splenomegaly but, when the 

 irradiation was stopped, the disease progressed to a fatal termination. Thorium, 

 in doses of 200 electrostatic units, prevented the increase of leukemic cells in the 

 blood in some instances and apparently in some instances brought about com- 

 plete recovery. The spleen remained small in birds that received thorium. The 

 administration of atoxyl or benzol to chickens ill with leukosis was found to be 

 without benefit. 



Zadik (220) claimed beneficial effects in the treatment of leukosis with an 

 organic lead preparation "R237b" (Rothmann), a sodium plumbo-dithio-pyridin- 

 carbonate. Oberling and Guerin (152) reported a definite inhibitory effect of 

 quinine and some of its derivatives (plasmochine and rhodoquine) in some cases 

 of leukosis. Engelbreth-Holm, Rothe Meyer, and Uhl (60) repeated these ex- 

 periments and found that neither the lead preparation nor the plasmochine had 

 any beneficial effect on the disease produced by either Strain R or Strain E-S. 

 Rhodoquine had no effect on animals inoculated with Strain E-S but did tend to 

 prolong the course of the disease and to lower the percentage of successful inocula- 

 tions of the Strain R agent in chickens. It also showed some ability to inactivate 

 the agent of Strain R in vitro. 



Kitt (121) states that arsenic, in the form of Fowler's solution, and potassium 

 iodide were of no value in the cure of the disease. Olson (155) found that treat- 

 ment of leukotic birds by feeding liver or by transfusion of whole blood from 

 either normal chickens or birds recovered from the disease had no lasting effect 

 on the disease. Arsenic was likewise found to be of no benefit in the treatment 

 of affected chickens. 



Schaaf (175), in his work on experimentally produced fowl leukosis, was unable 

 to demonstrate any therapeutic effect of lead, arsenic, iron, or copper compounds, 

 R237li (Rothmann's lead preparation), plasmochine, liver or liver extracts, or 

 certain hormone preparations. 



Wheat germ oil has been recommended as a supplement to the diet of chickens 

 to reduce the incidence of a group of diseases classified as "leukosis" (Butler, 

 Warren, and Hammersland 21) and had previously been suggested for the treat- 

 ment of the disease (20). Several individuals have investigated this claim and 

 found wheat germ oil to be without effect either as a cure or as a preventive agent 

 for fowl paralysis or "lymphomatosis" (5, 24, 116, 196). 



ATTEMPTS TO PRODUCE LEUKOSIS WITHOUT 

 THE USE OF THE SPECIFIC AGENT 



Kasarinoff (120) was one of the first to report the production of a leukemoid 

 blood picture in chickens by the administration of chemical substances. He 

 observed a leukocytosis as result of nucleic acid treatment, a promyelocytosis 

 following nucleohiston, a myeloblastosis after ricin and saponin, a lymphocytosis 

 caused by cantharidin, and an eosinophilia brought about by ricin and guanin. 

 He did not describe the organ changes or attempt to transmit the conditions 

 which he produced. 



Gohs (90) believed that leukosis was caused by decomposition products of the 



