220 DISEASES OF POULTRY. 



is then great diflBculty of breathing, with panting and 

 wheezing. The bird is compelled to extend its neck 

 and open its mouth to admit the air. The false mem - 

 branes may also form in the oesophagus and intestines. 

 This complication is particularly liable to occur with 

 turkeys and waterfowls and is indicated by aggrava - 

 tion of the general symptoms with copious diarrhea 

 and the escape of blood with the evacuations. 



The membrane lining the nasal passages is often 

 severely affected. This is usually due to an exten- 

 sion of the diphtheritic process by way of the fissure 

 of the palate. By the accumulation of the exudate, 

 the roof of the mouth is forced downwards, the eye- 

 balls are pressed outwards, swellings appear over or 

 near the orbital space and the head becomes deformed. 

 The swollen parts are congested, tense, and when cut 

 open there escapes a thick whitish liquid, or soft, 

 yellowish, cheesy masses are found. 



The conjunctiva or membrane covering the eye is, 

 also, very frequently affected and the disease may 

 begin at this point. The eyes are, then, red and 

 weeping; the lids are hot, swollen and painful. The 

 secretions, at first serous, then purulent and caseous, 

 accumulate in the angle of the eye or glue the lids 

 together. If large masses are allowed to collect under 

 the lids they press upon the cornea, cause irritation 

 and ulceration and lead to perforation with destruction 

 of the sight. 



The acute form of the disease just described is the 

 more common, but very often it assumes a chronic 

 form with obscure symptoms. The birds are dull, 

 weak, lose flesh and fail to lay eggs There may be 

 slight catarrh and difl&culty of breathing and a care- 

 ful examination, particularly if it be a postmortem 



