228 DISEASES OF POULTRY. 



generally resulting in death in from four to five days. 

 In some cases the duration of the disease is longer and 

 two or three weeks may elapse before the death of the 

 bird. There is then excessive emaciation. A micro- 

 scopic examination of the blood shows a marked 

 diminution in the number of red corpuscles and an in- 

 crease in the number of white ones. In one case the 



red corpuscles 



decreased from 



3,744,000 per 

 cubic millimeter 



to 2 ,133,000, 



and the white 



ones increased *«— >^ t^ O^ 



from 21,000 to ®*^ V 



14 0,000. In 



another case the %^ 



red corpuscles Fig-. b<).—Bactermm sangniiiariiim from lifer of 

 were diminished *"'"• (magmfied 2,000 diameters). 



from 3,534,000 to 1,745,000, while the white ones 

 increased from 19,000 to 245,000. There is loss of 

 appetite with slight rufHing of the plumage, and the 

 head drawn close to the body. There appears to be 

 no diarrheal symptoms with this disease, or if they are 

 sometimes seen they may be regarded as exceptional. 

 The period of incubation is from two to four days. 

 The alterations discovered \>y postmortem examination 

 are confined to the liver and the blood. The liver is 

 somewhat enlarged and dark colored, and the surface 

 is sprinkled with minute grayish areas. 



Causation. — This disease is undoubtedly infectious- 

 and is caused by a micro-organism which Moore has 

 named Bacteiium sanguinarium. This germ isa non- 

 motile, rod -shaped organism, which as found in th& 



