DISEASES OF POULTRY. 159 



£ 



CHAPTER VII. 



Diseases of thi': Bkain. 



CEKF.BKAI. HVPKK.KMIA, CONGESTION OF THE BRAIN, VERTICO- 

 HEMOKKHAGE OF THE BKAIN, APOPLEXY — EPILEPSY. 



cerebral hvper.<emia, congestion of the urain, 



v]':rtigo. 



/^^ OXGESTIOX of the brain is a disease quite 

 i \ frequently seen with poultry. It may occur 

 ^^^ in fat and plethoric birds by fright or indiges- 

 tion. It is frequently associated with irrita- 

 tion of the intestines by parasitic worms. It is seen 

 particularly' in male birds during the breeding season 

 and in chickens exposed to the hot rays of the sun. It 

 may, also, occur as the result of blows upon the head 

 and as a complication with infectious diseases such as 

 cholera. 



The symptoms are giddiness which leads the bird to 

 throw its head upwards and backwards or to bend the 

 neck to one side. The gait is staggering and uncer- 

 tain, the bird walking backwards, sidewise or in a cir- 

 c le. Sometimes irregular and unusual movements are 

 made, or the bird falls to the ground fluttering and 

 making convulsive movements with the legs, or may 

 lie for some miriutes powerless to move. In some 

 cases there are epileptiform spasms which may often 

 be stopped by a touch, in other cases there is great 

 stupefaction and drowsiness. 



