Massacl. '■icnltural Collcuc, 



AMHERST, MASS. 



massachusetts 

 Agricultural Experiment Station 



TECHNICAL BULLETIN No. 5 AUGUST, 1922 



Concerning the Diagnosis of Bac- 

 terium PuLLORUM Infection in 

 THE Domestic Fowl 



By GEORGE EDWARD GAGE 



For several years the Experiment Station has been con- 

 ducting studies of Bacterium pullorum, the object being to 

 determine factors which aid in accuracy of diagnosis. The 

 data obtained are recorded in this bulletin, and indicate that 

 there are two forms of Bacterium pullorum, both of which are 

 distinct from Bacterium sanguinarium and can be distinguished 

 from it by certain biochemical tests; that Bacterium san- 

 guinarium is not widely distributed in Massachusetts; that 

 neither Bacterium pullorum nor Bacterium sanguinarium is the 

 cause of the so-called "paralysis" common in Massachusetts 

 at certain seasons of the year; and that the agglutination 

 test, when carefully controlled through epidemiological work, 

 is the best method now available for locating Bacterium pul- 

 lorum infection and furnishing to poultr\men a starting point 

 for its elimination. 



Requests for Bulletins should be addressed to the 



AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION 



AMHERST, MASS. 



