50 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 



This being the case, it is generally good policy to dispose of a 

 flock that has been through such an experience as this as soon 

 as it can be done to advantage, and replace with always healthy 

 stock." 



With regard to the special diseases already mentioned the one 

 most commonly met with on intensive plants at least is 



Hypertrophy or Bnlargenient of the Liver. 



The cause of this trouble is chiefly concerned with food. In 

 our climate it occurs most frequently tow^ards the end of the 

 winter. The birds have been confined to their houses most or 

 all of the winter months. Very often they are overcrowded. 

 The rich winter ration is continued after the weather begins to 

 get warm and less heating food is needed. This combined with 

 too little exercise and not enough green food favor indigestion 

 and the accompanying sluggish action of gizzard and intestines. 

 These are the immediate causes of trouble with the liver. It is 

 said that feeding too much corn and barley is also responsible 

 for much liver trouble. 



Symptoms. — Mr. H. B. Green, M. R. C. S., gives the follow- 

 ing symptoms of hypertrophy of the liver. He believes this to 

 be only a stage in the fatty degeneration of this organ. (Illus- 

 trated Poultry Record 1909, p. 691.) ''The first sign that a fowl 

 is tending towards fatty disease of the liver is increase in weight. 

 The comb wattles and face remain a bright red or take on a dull 

 bluish tinge from congestion. This sign of sluggish circulation 

 tells of full blood vessels, and explains how it is that apoplexy 

 so frequently supervenes at this period. The excrement is an 

 important symptom to note. It is generally at first semi-liquid, 

 of a dark yellow color, and evacuations are frequent. Thirst 

 is noticeable and a large quantity of water is drunk, especially 

 after feeding. The appetite remains good, although the bird is 

 capricious in what it eats. A post-mortem examination of a 

 fowl in this phase of the disease will show a liver considerably 

 enlarged, of a deep red color, engorged with blood, shining and 

 greasy as though it had been soaked in oil, but fairly firm under 

 the knife. The intestines are laden with masses of fat, so also 

 are the mesentery — or as it is termed by butchers, 'the leaf,' — 

 the ovary and oviduct." 



In the next stage "Diarrhoea increases, the excrement being 



