DISEASES 139 
old the death rate gradually diminishes. If 
a post-mortem examination of the chickens is 
made it will be found that their entire diges- 
tive tract is practically empty, with the 
exception of some slimelike fluid. There is 
usually some part of the yolk which is un- 
digested or unabsorbed. The lungs appear 
normal (a salmon pink). 
Externally, the symptoms of white diar- 
rhea and those due to chilling are the same. 
But on post-mortem one will find that in 
chickens which have been chilled there is 
usually some food along the digestive tract, 
either in the gizzard or intestines, and it will 
be found that the lungs are congested and of 
a dark garnet in color. This is the easiest 
way to tell the two diseases apart. 
There is no positive cure for the disease. 
Probably the best thing that any poultry- 
man can do when he suspects that his chicks 
may develop white diarrhea is to feed them 
all the sour skim milk or buttermilk that 
they will drink. This will assist, because it 
is a readily digested and easily assimilated 
food, and therefore makes the chick stronger, 
which, of course, helps it to combat the 
