104 



DISEASES OF POULTRY. 



Symptoms. — The symptoms of infectious entero- 

 hepatitis have not been very carefully observed and 

 recorded. It is not untilthe disease has made consider- 

 able progress that any signs of ill -health 

 can be detected. The affected birds 

 show more or less loss of appetite, weak- 

 PIIW:# ness and emaciation, though one or 

 more of these symptoms may not be 

 constant. 



Diarrhea is the most marked and con - 

 slant symptom and may be expected 

 sooner or later in the course of the dis- 

 ease. It results from the inflammation 

 in the caeca, which is the starting point 

 of the affection, and this imflammation 

 exists in all cases. Peculiar discolora- 

 tions of the head occur at the height of 

 the disease, which have led to the pop- 

 ular designation of "black head," but 

 Smith is of the opinion that these are 

 not constant and that they may accom- 

 pany other conditions. 

 The disease attacks quite young turkeys, 

 having been recognized in a bird only 

 three weeks old, and in this it had 

 already made considerable progress. 

 The young birds seem to be most sus- 

 ceptible, and, as in the older birds 

 iiMith't7*k*'^^°* ^^^ organs have the appearance of 

 long standing disease, the conclusion 

 has been reached that the infection usually occurs at an 

 early period of life. The infection is most actively 

 propagated during mid -summer, but whether this is 

 due to the fact that there are more young birds at that 



