MICROBIAL DISEASES OF MAN AND DOMESTIC ANIMALS 757 



men with any disease characterized by excessive diarrhoea. The symp- 

 toms first noticed are the yellow color of droppings soiling the cloacal 

 feathers, then diarrhoea sets in, the character of the discharge varying, 

 being at times a fluid greenish mass, or a brown-red mucus, or a viscous 

 transparent and frothy fluid. The bird becomes uneasy, drinks copi- 

 ously and with a rise in temperature to 42° to 44° the bird becomes 

 drowsy and death follows. The period between the first noticeable 

 symptoms and death varies from one to three days. Chronic cases 

 sometimes occur and in these the bacterium is found with difficulty. 

 The birds become infected by way of the digestive tract, from eating 

 and picking up material infected by the discharges of diseased birds. 



Post-mortem indications are blackened combs, congestion of the 

 blood-vessels in the organs and intestines, and punctiform or large 

 hemorrhages of the duodenum, intestines and heart. The bacteria are 

 numerous in the blood, the pulp of all organs, and in the intestinal con- 

 tents. It is a true septicaemia. 



If the disease breaks out in epidemic form the best and quickest 

 method of getting rid of it is to kill off all the fowls, disinfect the houses, 

 and dig or plough up the poultry runs, and leave them two weeks before 

 re-stocking. 



Chronic Bacterial Enteritis* 



The disease produced by this bacterium has been demonstrated in 

 Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Holland, Denmark, and perhaps 

 other European countries. It is known by various names, as Johni's 

 disease, chronic bacterial dysentery, and chronic bacterial enteritis. 



This bacterium produces a chronic infectious disease of cattle in- 

 volving especially the intestinal mucous membrane. Other animals do 

 not seem susceptible. The disease produced is usually fatal. Usually 

 the most conspicuous general symptom is unthrift in spite of good 

 appetite and good food. 



This microorganism is a rod-shaped bacterium from 2/1 to 3/i long 

 and about 0.5^ broad and is strongly acid-fast. The production of 

 active toxins is to be presumed since the amount of disturbance is f re= 

 quently'out of all proportion to the lesions found on examination 

 post-mortem. 



* Prepared by M. H. Reynolds, 



