Circular No. 65. (Revision of No. 56.) September, 1916. 



MASSACHUSEHS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION 



AMHERST 

 Wm. p. Brooks, Director 



CAMPAIGN TO ELIMINATE BACILLARY WHITE DIARRHOEA 



1. Bacillary White Diarrhoea of hens and chickens is common in this 

 State and the occassion of great loss. 



2. The disease is transmitted by the hen laying the egg. 



3. Hens harboring the bacillus can be detected by a laboratory test of 

 the blood. 



4. If such hens (reactors) are eliminated from breeding flocks losses of 

 chicks from Bacillary White Diarrhoea, with proper sanitation, can be 

 practically entirely avoided. This fact has been demonstrated by tests 

 made both in the Massachusetts and the Connecticut Experiment Stations. 



5. The facts above stated must make it apparent that a campaign for 

 the elimination of this disease is desirable and practicable. Breeders have 

 simply to cease using eggs from reacting hens for hatching and the disease 

 will soon disappear. 



6. The Experiment Station of the Massachusetts Agricultural College, 

 is prepared to test the breeding hens of owners applying for the test under 

 the following general conditions : 



(a.) The collection of the blood samples and the agglutination test will 

 be made by the Veterinary Department of the Experiment Station and from 

 that Department reports on the results, with such directions as may be 

 necessary, will go to the flock owners. 



(b.) As the work of the Veterinary Department will be largely routine 

 and not experimental in its nature a charge will be made by the Station to 

 cover a part of the cost. This, for the present, will be five cents for each 

 hen tested. 



7. Those desiring to have their flocks tested on this basis should address 

 their applications : Veterinary Department, Experiment Station, Amherst, 

 Mass. 



8. So far as conditions permit applications will be accepted in the order 

 of priority : but locality, as will be readily understood, must be considered 

 since at present only one man can be employed in taking blood samples. 

 It may not be possible to satisfy all applications, as the forces and facilities 

 available for the work are limited. 



