102 ' DISEASES OF POULTRY. 



Symptoms. — When only a small number of the 

 nodules of the Emieria dubia exist in the intestine of 

 a fowl, no symptoms of disease are seen and the bird 

 does not appear to suffer. When, however, the lesions 

 are more numerous, and particularly when the germs 

 are multiplying on the mucous surface, considerable 

 inflammation results, the processes of digestion and 

 assimilation are interfered with and death may result. 

 The principal symptoms are depression, loss of appe- 

 tite, diarrhea, weakness, and rapid loss of weight. 



The Coccidium tenellum produces a more acute, and 

 rapidly fatal disease. There is progressive weakness, 

 stupor, loss of appetite, difiiculty of walking, diarrhea, 

 sometimes constipation, plaintive cries and death in a 

 few days. With young chicks there is diarrhea with 

 whitish excrement followed by constipation. With 

 adult fowls the diarrhea is abundant and the excre- 

 ment may be of a brick -red color or even streaked 

 with blood. It is very destructive to young chickens, 

 frequently a whole brood dies of it, and it may destroy 

 the greater part of those which the possessor of infected 

 premises attempts to raise. An examination of the 

 caeca generally shows active inflammation, though 

 with the chicks which showed constipation the organs 

 named were found of a normal color, but distended 

 with a hard, yellowish exudate containing many of the 

 parasites. 



Treatment. — Preventive treatment is the most 

 satisfactory. Disinfect the houses and runs with 

 strong carbolic acid solution (three to five per cent), 

 and scald out the feeding troughs and drinking vessels 

 with boiling water. If possible, change the birds to 

 fresh ground that has never been infected. 



As medical treatment, hyposulphite of soda five 



