BACILLARY WHITE DIARRHEA IN YOUNG CHICKS. 



Methods used in locating and eradicating Infection. 



As the presence of Bacterium pullorum infection in a flock is strikingly 

 indicated by the death of a large number of young chicks, it is to be ex- 

 pected that the location of the disease can be readily determined by the 

 examination of chicks which have died. It is by this means that we have 

 obtained data in regard to most of the infected areas in the State. In two 

 cases, however, the flock owners, believing from their cliick losses that 

 bacillary white diarrhea existed in their flocks, asked to have their adult 

 birds tested without sending chicks for preliminary examination. Results 

 of the agglutination tests gave proof that the disease was present in these 

 flocks. 



Methods used in Examination of Chicks. 



In examining dead chicks which have been received in the laboratory 

 the following procedure is employed: The general appearance of chicks 

 when they are received is noted. Each chick is numbered and that number 

 recorded, so that individual records are kept on the examination of each 

 bird. They are then pinned, by wings and feet, ventral side upward, to 

 a sterile dissecting board, the feathers are removed by singeing with a gas 

 flame, and the abdominal and thoracic organs exposed by cutting through 

 the walls of these cavities. At this time any internal pathological features 

 — i.e., the color of liver, size, consistency and color of the unabsorbed yolk 

 (if present), appearance of the ceca, etc. — are noted. Employing the usual 

 methods to prevent outside contamination, tubes of sterile agar-agar are 

 inoculated with material from such organs as the heart, liver, unabsorbed 

 yolk and intestinal tract, and the tubes are allowed to stand in the incuba- 

 tor at 38° C. until sufficient time has elapsed to insure the growth of Bac- 

 terium pidlorum, if present. Material in all tubes is then carefully ex- 

 amined for this organism and the findings recorded. When Bacterium 

 pullorum is found, a culture of it is retained in the laboratory under an 

 indi\'idual retention number, and thus may be used for future reference. 



Since February of this year our records show that between 700 and 800 

 chicks, the majority of them dead, have been received for examination. 

 In some cases, however, live ones have come for observation, and these 

 have been placed under favorable conditions and given the food best 

 suited to their ages. Any that died have been examined according to the 

 method given above. 



Summary of Data secured by Chick Autopsies. 



To summarize briefly the areas in the State in which the above method 

 has shown that infection exists we refer to Map I. As we mentioned 

 before, all localities showing infection, with the exception of two flocks 

 in which the presence of the disease was detected by the agglutination 

 test, have been determined by the examination of dead chicks. 



