280 Diseases of Poultry 



perfectly normal often lay eggs with blood spots, especially 

 in the spring of the year when laying is heavy. The blood 

 which makes the spot probably comes in most cases from the 

 ovarian follicle. When this ruptures a little blood escapes 

 into the oviduct and is caught up in the albumen. The so- 

 called "liver" or "meat" spots in eggs are in nearly every 

 case thoroughly hardened, well packed together, blood clots. 

 They may be of large size. These inclusions do not repre- 

 sent, as they are sometimes said to, portions of the oviduct 

 wall which have been torn off and inclosed in the egg. 



Eggs of Abnormal Shape. — There are many other kinds 

 of abnormal eggs besides those here discussed, but as they 

 have no practical significance it is not desirable to devote 

 further space to them. In closing this section we append 

 some figures showing in outline some of the curiously shaped 

 eggs which have been found. 



Vent Gleet (Cloacitis) 



This is a true venereal disease of poultry. It usually 

 begins with a hen, but is transmitted in copulation to the 

 male, and by him to other birds in the flock. 



Diagnosis. — Salmon gives the following clear account of 

 the symptoms : " The first symptom observed is the fre- 

 quent passage of excrement which is voided in small quanti- 

 ties almost as rapidly as it reaches the cloaca. Often the 

 bird endeavors to drop excrement when cloaca is entirely 

 empty. This action is due to the tenderness and irritability 

 of the cloaca which gives to the bird the sensation of fullness, 

 and produces spasmodic contractions. If an examination 

 is made the mucous membrane is found in the early stages 

 to be red, dry, swollen and hot. In a day or two a discharge 

 makes its appearance. It is, at first, thin and watery, but 

 soon becomes white, purulent, and offensive. This dis- 



