48 Diseases of Poultry 



normal. One should accustom himself to recognize the 

 normal size of the heart and then in a post-mortem exami- 

 nation he can tell at a glance whether the heart is unduly- 

 enlarged. 



The lungs should be examined for evidence of congestion, 

 old or recent, and aspergillosis. Tuberculosis of the lungs 

 is relatively rare in poultry. In the majority of attacks of 

 tuberculosis the lungs are usually among the last organs to 

 be affected. 



Crop and gizzard are opened to determine whether any- 

 thing in the recently ingested food has been causing trouble. 

 It is also well to split open the trachea or windpipe to see 

 whether any foreign bodies are present, or whether there is 

 any accumulation of cheesy pus, indicating some form of 

 roup, particularly the diphtheritic. Also, of course, a look- 

 out should be kept for parasitic worms in opening any of the 

 abdominal organs. 



In the abdominal region, after the liver has been removed 

 or turned forward out of the way, the spleen may then be 

 seen. This is a small dark organ which is usually one of 

 the first to be attacked in a case of tuberculosis. Where 

 this disease is suspected, careful examination of the spleen 

 should be made to see whether any small white nodules or 

 tubercles are present. 



The intestines should be examined for evidences of con- 

 gestions, presence of parasites, or presence of tubercles. 



After having been examined the intestines may be re- 

 moved and thrown away. Then there will be exposed the 

 urinary and reproductive organs. In many cases death in 

 hens is due to some impairment of the egg producing organs. 

 One should look first for- tumors on the ovary, which may 

 generally be distinguished as dark colored bodies attached to 

 the ovary, looking very much like a yolk in process of for- 

 mation which has gone bad. The oviduct should be exam- 



