I64 POULTRY DISEASES AND THEIR TREATMENT. 



pears that at least the following (and probably other) kinds of 

 new growths are found to occur on the ovary with greater or 



less frequency. 



1. Benign tumors, of several types, including yolk 



tumors. 



2. Carcinoma. 



3. Dermoid cysts. 



"Treatment is, of course, impossible in these cases as the 

 nature of the disease is not deterniined until "after the bird's 

 death. If such abnormal conditions ai'e frequently found, it is 

 an indication that there is a predisposition in that direction in 

 the strain of birds. The only way to correct this is to kill off 

 the flock and obtain different blood." (Salmon). 



Abortion of Bggs. 



Regarding this matter Wright (New Book of Poultry, p. 

 574) has the following to say : "This is not to be confounded 

 with the laying of soft eggs. These last are laid when mature, 

 and usually by fat birds ; biit when violently driven or startled, 

 or subject to violence of any kind, or even if suddenly and great- 

 ly terrified, immature yolks are sometimes detached from the 

 ovary and expelled. This is most Hkely to happen with pullets 

 not yet laying but about to lay, and being a real miscarriage or 

 abortion, may wreck the constitution of a valuable bird unless 

 attended to. It is distinguished from the other by not occurring 

 as a rule in fat birds; by the immature and small size of the 

 yolk or yolks; generally also by hemorrhage; and always by 

 signs of illness of chicks afterwards. Any such bird should 

 be placed for a few days in a quiet and comfortable but rather 

 dark pen, with a nest in case of need, and fed on a little bread 

 and milk. Quiet rest is the main thing, but 20 grains bromide 

 of potassium may be dissolved in half a pint of drinking water. 

 With such care the event may be entirely recovered from." 



Yolk Hypertrophy. 



There are a number of cases on record where the yolks 

 formed by the ovary have been very much larger than normal. 

 These "giant yolks" are due to a diseased condition of the organ, 

 possibly contingent upon too much forcing for egg production. 

 Such cases have been described by Gurlt (Mag. f. d. ges. Tier- 

 heilk, 1849) and more recently by von Durski (Die pathol. 



