48 DISEASES OF POULTRY. 



factor in keeping up infection, and has proposed the 

 destruction of these worms by saturating the soil with 

 a solution of common salt. Whether this will kill or 

 drive away the earth worms which are in the soil has 

 not been satisfactorily demonstrated. 



Symptoms. ^The disease is observed most frequently 

 in young birds from one to four weeks old. The 

 affected individuals 'are ' seen to be less lively than 

 usual ; they extend the head frequently and widely 

 open the beak — that is, they gape,. If .watched, they 

 are seen to gape every minute or two , and as the dis - 

 ease progresses, this gaping is repeated several times a 

 minute. , ■ 



The birds soon begin to cough, making a sudden, 

 whistling , sound something like a .sneeze, whitish 

 mucus may be rejected from the nostrils or mouth, or 

 worms (syngames) may be coughed up. If badly 

 affected the birds become anaemic and weak; the 

 feathers are roughened ; the wings droop ; the neck is 

 shortened or drawn up, except when extended for 

 gaping; the bird shakes its head, often convulsively, 

 as if trying to get rid of a foreign body in its throat. 

 The affected birds are no longer able to keep up with 

 the flock to which they belong, they lag behind, stop 

 as if exhausted, stand with closed eyes and allow them - 

 selves to be easily caught. At this period they are 

 liable to attacks of suffocation, from which they may 

 die suddenly. Others apparently die from weakness 

 and exhaustion. 



The stronger birds, particularly if only infested with 

 a few worms, and the older and larger birds, are not 

 so severely affected. They gape occasionally, but their 

 general health is not impaired. Their strength is re- 



