108 Diseases of Poultry 



an infected fowl contains thousands of these bacteria and 

 may serve to infect other birds. The bodies of the birds 

 should be burned, or if this is not possible they should be 

 buried deeply so that dogs and other animals will not dig 

 them up. 



A pest house should be established as soon as it is known 

 that the disease is present. This should be located at some 

 distance from the regular houses. Every bird showing the 

 slightest sjTnptoms of the disease should be removed to this 

 house at once. All the litter and droppings from the regular 

 houses and runs should be scraped up and burned and every- 

 thing about the place thoroughly disinfected. Spray the 

 houses with a good disinfectant. Do not use any litter in 

 the houses unless a light coat of sawdust and this should be 

 replaced by fresh every day. The runs and yards should be 

 thoroughly disinfected and should be plowed often. 



If these measures are carried out with conscientious at- 

 tention to details it is a relatively simple matter to eradicate 

 this disease. However, the disinfection must be kept up for 

 some months after the birds have ceased to die. Otherwise 

 the infection may return. 



In connection with his work on an outbreak of fowl cholera 

 in California, Ward points out the following important con- 

 clusion : " Cholera and other infectious diseases may exist 

 in a fowl in a sort of inactive chronic condition and there is no 

 doubt concernirig the agency of such a case in spreading the 

 disease. Thus, fowls not suspected of being diseased may 

 have the disease smoldering among them. The fact that 

 occasionally a single fowl dies of cholera means that a severe 

 loss may occur at any time." 



The practical recommendation for an outbreak of fowl 

 cholera then is to kill and destroy all sick birds, confine all 

 well birds to small runs. Disinfect these runs and the houses 

 daily. After the outbreak is over and the birds have ceased 



