256 INFECTIOUS ENTERO-HEPATITIS 



The points of analogy between the avian and the human 

 disease are that in both there is an affection of the intestine 

 (large intestine in man, caeca in turkeys) associated with liver 

 disease due to amoebae. 



The intestinal wall in amoebic dysentery is greatly thick- 

 ened, owing to an oedematous condition. It is also thickened 

 in circumscribed areas and contains cavities filled with gela- 

 tinous-looking pus. The amoebae vary much in size and con- 

 tain vacuoles. They are found in variable numbers in the 

 .bottom of the ulcers and in the discharges. The large num- 

 bers of amoebae found in the intestinal contents led Council- 

 man and Lafieur to infer an active multiplication therein. 

 The presence of the parasites within the submucosa is 

 described by these authors in one case only. 



In the turkey, the parasites are always present in the con- 

 nective tissue spaces of the mucous and submucous mem- 

 brane. Their presence in the contents of the caecum is highlj^ 

 probable. 



It differs from the Ainceba dysenterice in being quite uni- 

 form in its appearance, varying but slightly in size (from 6 to 

 10// in diameter) and in being free from vacuoles. Movements 

 characterized as amoeboid have not yet been demonstrated. 



The liver affection in man appears usually as an abscess. 

 In turkeys it appears as a variable number of foci in which 

 the microparasites may be present in great abundance. The 

 difference in the nature of the lesions must be largely attri- 

 buted to the different reaction of the tissues of birds toward 

 injuries. 



§ 192. Symptoms. Diarrhoea is the symptom which 

 sooner or later may be expected to appear. It probably 

 occupies the most prominent place among the objective mani- 

 festations. The disease of the caeca is presumably responsible 

 for this. Diarrhoea occurs with at least one other disease of 

 the caeca and with the presence of tapeworms. Emaciation is 

 pronounced in very chronic cases but it is not constantly pres- 

 ent. As it may accompany other wasting diseases, it can not 

 be depended upon as an indication of this affection. As the 

 disease progresses the turkeys become less active, hang behind 



