332 DIPHTHERIA IN FOWLS 



The diphtheritic disease of fowls reported by Loir and 

 Ducloux in Tunis, in 1894, spread to the people of that place, 

 resulting in an epidemic of serious proportions. Menard 

 refers to the fact that men emplo3ed to feed young squabs con- 

 tracted diphtheria by blowing the masticated food into the 

 mouth and crop of squabs suffering with that disease. Schrev- 

 ens| reports several cases of diphtheria in children in which he 

 traces the source of infection to certain poultry. 



Although the number of reported cases of the transmis- 

 sion of fowl diphtheria to the human species and vice versa, is 

 small in comparison with the extent of the disease in poultry, 

 the evidence that such a transmission is possible is quite suffi- 

 cient to discourage the careless handling of diseased fowls. It 

 is a quite common practice, especially in the rural districts, to 

 bring the sick chickens into the house for treatment, where 

 the children of the household are allowed to fondle them at 

 will. It is not improbable that when this disease is thoroughly 

 investigated the number of cases of direct infection from this 

 source will be found to be much larger than it is at present 

 supposed. Until such investigations are satisfactorily com- 

 pleted the indiscriminate handling of diphtheritic chickens 

 especially by children and the exposure of fowls to the infec- 

 tion of diphtheria in the human species, whereby they may 

 become carriers of the virus, should be strenuously avoided. 



§ 250. Prevention In order to prevent this disease it 

 is evident that many conditions must be strictly complied 

 with. The character of the food and the general sanitary con- 

 ditions, including cleanliness, ventilation and the temperature 

 of the poultry houses must be considered. Undoubtedly 

 there is much to be learned in connection with the proper care 

 ofpoultr}'. In addition to the general sanitary methods, the 

 following rules should be observed. 



(i) Fowls which have an exudate on any of the mucous 

 membranes of the head or which have come from flocks in 

 which such a disease exists or has recently existed, should not 

 be placed among healthy poultry. 



^Bulletin del' Acad. Royale deMed. de Belgique, VIII. (1894), p. 380. 



