72 DISKASKS OK POULTKV. 



THRUSH, ArHTHK. 



Ill liunian medicine the terms thrush and aphthae are 

 api)lied to an affection of the mucous membrane of the 

 mouth, seen ^particularly in children, and which is 

 characterized l))'the production of a white cheesy sub- 

 stance, composed of the filaments and spores of a 

 ve.a^etable i)arasite, called the Oidiiim albicans (or Sac- 

 cliaroviyces albicans) and of the cells of the epithelium 

 which have undergone extensive proliferation. Veteri- 

 narians have aj^plied the name to several distinct dis- 

 eases of the mouth, seen in various mammals and birds, 

 which are characterized by a white or yellowish de- 

 posit on various parts of the mucous membrane lining 

 that cavity. It is supposed that the term thrush has 

 been applied to diphtheria and chicken pox in birds and 

 possibly to other disease?. True thrush, although a 

 rare disease, has been noted in at least two instances 

 where a reliable diagnosis appears to have been made. 



One of the two cases recorded in birds was described 

 by Eberth as follows : At the autopsy of a verj^ emaci - 

 ated fowl, which had died after violent convulsions, 

 there was found on the mucous membrane of the oesoph - 

 agus, from the middle of that tube to the crop, several 

 white but not extensive deposits firmh' adhering to the 

 surface. The internal surface of the crop was covered 

 by a white layer, similar to the deposit of thrush. 

 Below the cro]i, the oesophagus also had some more 

 patches of a brownish -3'ellow color. The microscopic 

 examination of this layer proved it to be compo.sed of 

 the spores and filaments of the Saccharoniyces albicans. 

 The second case, recorded by Martin, was observed in 

 a young turkey. At the autopsy, there was found at 

 the posterior part of the cesophagus and reaching as 



