DISEASES OF POULTRY. 149 



putrid liquid. Death is caused partly by peritonitis 

 and partly by the absorption of the products of de- 

 composition. 



The cause of this trouble is not well understood. 

 It has been attributed to the birds being too fat, thus 

 compressing the ovary and hindering the evolution of 

 the ova. As it may occur in birds which are not fat, 

 and as it is evidently accompanied by the penetration 

 and multiplication of bacteria, it is possibly an in- 

 fectious disease. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE OVIDUCT. 



The oviduct, being a highly vascular tube, with 

 ^reat functional activity during the laying season, and 

 subject to injuries of various kinds, is frequently af- 

 fected with inflammation. 



Causation. — Congestion and inflammation may 

 result from irritation due to too frequent laying, from 

 the eggs being too large, from too stimulating food or 

 condiments, from the breaking of an egg within this 

 tube after the shell has been formed upon it, and 

 from obstruction of the cloaca. 



Symptoms. — The bird at first shows indications of 

 a desire to lay without being, able to produce eggs, or 

 it may lay eggs containing more or less blood, or eggs 

 without shells, or small and misshapen eggs contain- 

 ing albumen but no yolk, or, finally, the yolk may be 

 dropped without any covering of albumen or shell. 

 As the inflammation increases there is high tempera - 

 ture, straining, and an effort to rub the abdomen upon 

 the ground. In the later stages, the bird becomes 

 dull, indisposed to move, the comb is pale, the plum- 

 age rough and the temperature falls to normal or be- 

 low. 



Treatment. — This disease to be treated success- 



