HEAD, THROAT AND LUNGS 



secretion is retained in the eye socket, it undergoes a change, becoming a 

 yellowish, solid, cheesy mass of the same appearance as that found in the 

 nasal tumor. This cheesy mass either forces the' eye out of its socket, or 

 the inflammation entirely destroys it. These cheese-Jike masses form in 

 one or two days, and may reappear after many daily removals. 



All these affections, described aboro, may be localised on one side; 

 but often both nasal passai;es and both eyes affected at the same time. 



Combined with the symptoms of roup above described, there often 

 are patches of a grayish yellow exudation firmly adherent to the mouth, 

 throat, etc. These patches are called "false membranes," and on account 

 of their somewhat close resemblance to the membrane which is formed in 

 human diphtheria, it has been thought by some writers that the avian and 

 human diseases are the same. Here, however, let it suffice to say that the 

 weight of evidence is against this contention. 



We may also point out that many poultry keepers who notice the false 

 membrane on the throat and mouth of their fowls, regard the disease as 

 quite different from the catarrhal form, and call it "canker," which is prob- 

 ably a popular form of the word "cancer." 



Whether the disease is characterized by false membranes, offensive 

 discharges, or cheesy masses, the cause is the same, as we have many times 

 experimentally demonstrated. 



At one or several places in the mouth or throat, these yellowish, smooth 

 or uneven membranes appear, and either remain small and disappear after 

 a few days or grow thicker, spread, and become firmly attached to the mucous 

 membrane; and if they (the false membranes) are removed, an uneven, 

 bleeding surface is exposed, which looks like a true cancer. 



After the appearance of the membranes the adjacent submucous tis- 

 sue sometimes becomes inflamed, and finally the growths are found to be 

 similar to those so often seen at the side of the face — containing solid cheesy 

 matter in the centre. 



When the throat is blocked by these false membranes, the animal's 

 breathing becomes abnormal, and the air passing through the throat pro- 

 duces loud noises. Gradually, the visible mucous membrane and the comb 

 turn blue, and the fowl finally dies from suffocation. 



The Course of the Disease 



The course of roup is usually of long duration. A simple, putrid dis- 

 charge from the nose may stop in three or four weeks, and similarly false 

 membranes may soon disappear; but generally the symptoms last for months. 

 When the eyelids become swollen and tumors appear, the case is usually 

 chronic. Affected birds may be better for a few days or weeks, and then 

 become very weak again. Damp, cold weather usually intensifies the dis- 

 ease. 



It is well known that fowls may be more or less sick from roup for one 

 or even several years; and these birds should have the greatest care and 

 attention, for they'are generally the cause of new outbreaks., Once intro- 



