12 



torn of disease, sometimes paleness of the comb and 

 visible membranes. In the skin diseases, the first 

 symptoms appear on the surface and consist in a loss 

 of gloss on some of the feathers and stiffness and brit- 

 tleness of the feathers, and sometimes the appearance 

 of naked spots. 



The examination of the throat is important in manv 

 cases because it is the seat of two common and very 

 serio'us afflictions of domestic fowls,, namely, roup and 

 gapes. In examining the mouth and thoat the bill can 

 bo opened by pressing the thumb and finger on the 

 angle at either side; then if the windpipe is pressed up- 

 ward from the neck, the larynx can be forced into the 

 back of the mouth and examined easily. It is fre- 

 quently of advantage to have an assistant hold the fowl 

 while the examiner carries out these manipulations and 

 also holds the tO'Pgue down by bearing upon it with a 

 wooden toothpick or some similar small object. 



The temperature of the fowl is rarely measured, be- 

 cause fevej- is shown by symptoms of cliilliness, etc.. 

 but it is well to know tliat the noa-mal temperature of 

 the domestic fowls varies between 106 and 107.5 de- 

 grees F. This is considerably higher than the tempera- 

 ture of the larger animals. If it becomes desirable to 

 measure the temperatuie. if: can be done by inserting 

 a clinical thermometer into the cloaca. It should pene- 

 trate for about two inches and remain two or three 

 minutes before it is withdrawn and read. 



The heart beat of the fowl is quite rapid, varying 

 from 110 to 140 per minute, but the determination of its 

 rapidity is of liltle importance in diagnosing the dis- 

 ease of fovsls, because when they are grasped for the 

 purpose of counting the bent, it becomes so rapid that 

 it is sometimes almost impossible to count it. running 



