THE INTESTINES AND CROP 



certain that they are free from disease, before they are permitted to run with 

 the home flock.^ On no account should any diseased bird be allowed to con- 

 taminate the home flock through carelessness or neglect in quarantining 

 new arrivals. This rule applies to all poultry diseases and to infection with 

 lice and mites as well. Always be sure that a bird is healthy before you per- 

 mit it to run with well fowls. 



Cholera makes its appearance in a flock in from a few days to nearly 

 three weeks lafter infection with the germ. The length of time for its ap- 

 pearance and the severity of the early symptoms depend largely on the 

 susceptibility and condition of the bird exposed to contagion. 



Sy mpto ms and Diagnosis of Cholera 

 Loss of appetite, great thrist; drinks water eagerly until it cannot 

 retain the water in the crop, and spills it whenever head is lowered. Bird 

 has high fever, and if the bulb of a thermometer is placed close to the flesh 

 under the shoulder, it will often register a temperature of 108 to 110 de- 

 grees. Legs hot and dry. The crop is usually distended with food which 

 cannot pass on, owing to paralysis of that organ. The bird shows a dis- 

 position to sleep, bunches itself in a dumpy ball of ruffled feathers, with wings 

 drooped, and avoids the rest of the flock. The comb is pale, almost white; 

 face and wattles appear bloodless, eyes are dull and mostly closed. 

 The bird loses strength and flesh very rapidly. Frequently an attempt 

 to move, results in the bird falling unable to rise again, Diarrhoea is al- 

 ways present, and is one of the chief symptoms. At first there is a slight 

 looseness of the bowels; that part of the excrement which is in health pure 

 white, becomes yellowish or yellowish green. Copious diarrhoea of glairy 

 mucus follows rapidly, and it may be frothy and streaked with yellow and 

 green. The droppings are voided frequently, and vary from deep yellow- 

 ish color to a mottled green and yellow, becoming later a deep, bluish green 

 or grass green color. The excrement is thin and often frothy. The vent 

 frequently appears raw and scalded by the excrement. Feathers about the 

 vent are soiled and caked with the discharges. Death usually takes place 

 in a few days after the appearance of the first symptoms of sickness. Con- 

 vulsions frequently precede death, the bird appearing to be in great agony, 

 • often uttering sharp cries of pain. 



Some cases appear in a mild form, and merge into a chronic infectious 

 diarrhoea; all such should be killed and cremated. Examination of the 

 body after death shows great wasting of flesh. Pale face and comb. Full 

 crop, inflamed and discolored intestines. Liver greatly enlarged and soft; 

 fiUcd with dark blood. GaU bladder distended, contents thick and dark 

 greenish. Kidneys and the small tubes leading from them are usually 

 filled with yellow or yellowish-green masses. Ulcerations in and about the 

 vent. The spleen is about normal size. 



The chief symptoms to depend on in diagnosing cholera are: A rapidly 

 fatal, wasting disease, accompanied by copious, yellowish or deep blue green 

 diarrhoea. Frequent discharge . of excrement. Pale face, comb and wat- 

 tles. Sleepiness which may last until death. Infection of a large number 



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