256 Diseases of Poultry 



Ovarian Tumors 



Tumors and cancerous growths on the ovary are not un- 

 common. These include several sorts of interest to the 

 pathologist, but not to the practical poultryman. From 

 the literature it appears that at least the following (and 

 probably other) kinds of new growths are found to occur 

 on the ovary with greater or less frequency. 



1. Benign tumors, of several types, including yolk tumors. 



2. Carsinoma. 



3. Dermoid cysts. 



For a further discussion of the general question of malig- 

 nant new growths see Chapter XX. 



It is quite clear that none of these conditions can be 

 successfully treated by the poultryman. In the first place 

 any cancerous condition of the ovary or oviduct will practi- 

 cally never be diagnosed until after the bird's death. In 

 the second place if it were diagnosed surgery would offer the 

 only possible means of relief, and operations on the ovary 

 are much too formidable for any one but the expert to 

 undertake. 



Abortion of Eggs 



Regarding this matter Wright ^ has the following to say : 

 "This is not to be confounded with the laying of soft eggs. 

 These last are laid when mature, and usually by fat birds; 

 but when violently driven or startled, or subject to violence 

 of any kind, or even if suddenly and greatly terrified, im- 

 mature yolks are sometimes detached from the ovary and 

 expelled. This is most likely to happen with pullets not yet 

 laying but about to lay, and being a real miscarriage or 

 abortion, may wreck the constitution of a valuable bird 



1 Wright, L., "The New Book of Poultry." London, 1902, 

 p. 574. 



