Diseases of the Reproductive Organs 263 



times finds relatively enormous masses of material in a 

 diseased oviduct, which have been built up in this way. 

 There is an extensive literature on these "egg concrements" 

 or "yolk tumors" built up either in the oviduct or in the 

 abdominal cavity by hardened fibrous exudate, about an 

 original basis of a broken, or miscarried, or aborted yolk or 

 yolks. It is not necessary to review this literature here as 

 it is only of interest to the specialist. 



Treatment. — If this disease is to be dealt with at all the 

 treatment must be individual, since it is something which 

 will never affect considerable numbers of the flock at the 

 same time. If individual treatment is to be successful it 

 must be begun at a relatively early stage of the disease. 

 Therefore, it is important that a bird showing the symptoms 

 ■■ which have been described above should be isolated at once 

 and as a first step in the treatment given a purgative dose of 

 Epsom salts (see p. 53). All stimulating foods such as meat, 

 green cut bone, linseed meal and similar substances, as 

 well as condiments like condition powders, pepper, etc., 

 should be immediately taken away from the bird. A light 

 ration and plenty of green food should be given. Salmon 

 recommends following the purgative with ^ drop of tincture 

 of aconite root 3 times a day. Equally effective, and much 

 easier to administer, will be found 1-10 gr. aconite root 

 tablets (see p. 55). 



Prolapse of the Oviduct (Eversion) 



It not infrequently happens, from one cause or another, 

 that the lower portion of the oviduct becomes everted and 

 projects from the vent as a mass of red or purplish tissue. 

 This condition is known as prolapsus of the oviduct. 



Diagnosis. — The diagnosis of this diseased condition is 

 simple and consists merely in the observation of the pro- 



