DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM 53 



The following symptoms occur: The chicks present a droopy, 

 sleepy appearance; the eyes are closed, and the chicks huddle 

 together and peep much of the time ; the whitish intestinal dis- 

 charge is noticed adhering to the fluft' near the margins of the 

 vent, and the young bird is very weak; death may occur within 

 the first few days. After the first two weeks the disease becomes 

 less acute. In the highly acute form the chicks die without show- 

 ing the usual train of symptoms. 



It is very easy to differentiate between the infectious and 

 the non-infectious diarrhoea. In the latter, the percentage of 

 chicks affected is small and the disease responds to treatment 

 more readily than does the infectious form. The death-rate in 

 the latter form is about eighty per cent. 



The onlv method of recogiiizing white diarrhoea infection 

 in laying hens is by means of the agglutination test. Most state 

 veterinary laboratories are equipped to make this test. 



The treatment of diarrhoea in chicks from any cause is pre- 

 ventive. This consists in removing the cause. Xo person can 

 successfully handle poultry if he does not give the necessary 

 attention to sanitation. Poultry houses, runs, watering foun- 

 tains and feeding places must be constantly cleaned and disin- 

 fected. The degree of attention necessary depends on the sur- 

 roundings, the crowded condition of the poultry houses and runs, 

 and the presence of disease in the flock. If disease is present, 

 we can not clean and disinfect the quarters too often. The attend- 

 ant can not overlook details in handling the incubator or brooder 

 and feeding the chicks and be uniformly successful. 



If the disease is known to be present in the flock, the incu- 

 bators and brooders should be thoroughly disinfected by fumi- 

 gating them with formaldehyde gas. If dirty, they should first 

 be washed with a water solution of a good disinfectant. For a 

 period of from twenty-four to forty-eight hours after hatching, 

 the chicks should receive no feed. Dr. Kaupp recommends as an 

 intestinal antiseptic, sulfocarbolate thirty grains, bichloride of 



