262 Diseases of Poultry 



Inflammation of Oviduct 



This is one of the most important and common diseases of 

 the oviduct. It may occur alone or in association with other 

 morbid conditions of this organ. 



Diagnosis. — Combining the accounts of various observers, 

 it may be said that a bird affected with inflammation of 

 the oviduct at first shows indications of a desire to lay with- 

 out being able to produce eggs, or it may lay eggs containing 

 more or less blood or eggs without shells or small and mis- 

 shaped eggs containing albumen but no yolk, or finally the 

 yolk may be dropped without any covering of albumen or 

 shell. There is a continual and violent straining (some- 

 times resulting in apoplexy). The wings are dropped and 

 the feathers puffed out. As the inflammation increases 

 there is high temperature, straining and an effort to rub 

 the abdomen upon the ground. In later stages the bird 

 becomes dull, indisposed to move and the comb is pale. 



Etiology. — There are probably to be distinguished three 

 classes of causes which lead to inflammation of the oviduct. 

 These are : 



1. Physiological; from irritation due to too frequent 

 laying or from too stimulating foods or condiments. 



2. Traumatic ; from irritation due to too large eggs, or to 

 the breaking of eggs within the oviduct, or to similar causes. 



3. Specific infection ; it is probably that alone or in com- 

 bination with the causes classed under 1 and 2 a specific 

 infection of the lining membranes of the oviduct may occur. 



In an inflamed oviduct there very often is a copious sero- 

 fibrinous exudate. This hardens about any foreign body 

 (egg, broken egg, etc.) which may be in the oviduct, and by 

 accretion causes this foreign body to increase in size. This, of 

 course, makes it still more irritating, which in turn provokes 

 further inflammation of the walls of the duct. One some- 



