72 FOWL CHOLERA 
seen. The spleen is generally normal in size and appearance, though 
frequently enlarged and softened. 
The pericardium is sometimes distended with effusions, in which 
case there is noticeable hyperemia of the surface of the heart. The 
lungs are often, though not generally, engorged with dark blood; 
they are seldom, if ever, hepatized. 
The blood vessels are sometimes filled with a firm clot, and contain 
but little liquid; at other times the blood does not coagulate at all. 
It seems to be those cases in which the duration of the disease is the 
longest, that the blood loses its power to coagulate. 
Ward has summarized the morbid anatomy in the fowls examined 
by him as follows: 
“At death, or some hours previous, the comb fréquently takes on a dark purple color, 
but this does not always occur. Very often the comb is pale and bloodless. The skin 
of the breast and abdomen is frequently reddened. 
“In post-mortem examinations a congestion of the blood-vessels of the liver, kidney, 
mesentery, or intestines is noticeable to some degree in all cases. Punctiform hemor- 
rhages are found upon the heart with almost absolute uniformity. The liver is very 
frequently marked with punctiform whitish areas of necrosis. Stained sections show 
these necrotic foci throughout the substance of the liver, and besides reveal a congestion 
of the blood-vessels of that organ. The next most striking lesions occur in the first 
and second duodenal flexures. The mucosa is deeply reddened and studded with 
hemorrhages varying in size, but seldom exceeding one millimeter in diameter. These 
involve the intestinal coats to an extent that makes them distinctly visible on the 
peritoneal] surface. The contents of the duodenum consist of a pasty mass, more or 
less thickly intermingled with blood clots. The intestinal contents sometimes consist 
of a cream-colored pasty mass, or may be brownish red or even green in color. Lesions 
are very rarely observed in other portions of the intestines. The ureters are noticeable 
in practically all cases by reason of the yellow-colored urates that they contain. The 
nasal cavity, pharynx and oral cavity frequently contain a viscous mucous fluid, proba- 
bly regurgitated from the crop. 
“The field notes on twenty-one post-mortem examinations refer to hemorrhages in 
the heart in twenty-one cases; punctiform necroses in the liver, fifteen cases; hemor- 
rhages in duodenum, seven cases; the discoloration of the skin in six cases. The 
presence of a gelatinous exudate within the pericardium was noted twice. A fibrinous 
exudate in the pericardium occurred the same number of times. Hemorrhages in the 
peritoneum other than those visible through the mucosa of the duodenum occurred but 
twice. In one case hemorrhages were abundantly scattered throughout the muscles of 
the trunk and legs. 
“Fowls inoculated subcutaneously with cultures exhibit on post-mortem examination 
the punctiform hemorrhages on the heart and the hemorrhages in the mucosa of the 
duodenum exactly as in cases infected naturally.” 
