FOWL TYPHOID AND SIMILAR INFECTIONS 55 
quently in parrots, particularly those freshly imported, and inflict sporadic 
and also excessive mortality. 
“3. No one will doubt that the streptococci, staphylococci, pneumococci, 
coli and proteus varieties occurring in these fatal parrot diseases may 
under certain circumstances also become dangerous for man. 
“4, The disease of man designated psittacosis is in clinical and ana- 
tomical features an atypical pneumonia coupled with typhoid symptoms 
and the disease has the same character in all epidemics. 
“5. The same house epidemics of pneumonia occur not rarely, without 
the intervention of parrots and one may from this draw the conclusion 
that all the former psittacosis epidemics were nothing more than atypical 
pneumonia in which the sick parrot, accidentally present in the house, 
played no etiological réle. 
“6. The above conclusions under 5 are contradicted in some measure by 
the no small number of former so-called psittacosis house epidemics. 
Especially contradictory to these conclusions is the Paris epidemic of 1892 
in which the transmission of the disease from the sick parrots to man 
must be considered on the basis of epidemiological facts as, at the least, 
apparently wholly indicated.” 
Etiology. An organism belonging to the hog cholera group has 
been isolated from cases of the disease in parrots, by Nocard and 
by Palamidessa. It is an actively motile, Gram negative rod which 
grows equally well under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. The 
growth in bouillon and on agar presents no characteristic features. 
Growth on gelatin at first consists of a shiny, transparent, iridescent 
streak which develops into a porcelain-white growth. No liquefac- 
tion of gelatin occurs, and milk is not coagulated. Growth on potato 
resembles that of B. coli. The organism may be isolated from the 
blood, bone marrow, spleen and other organs of infected birds. It 
has been isolated from the intestinal contents of parrakeets which 
were in apparent good health. 
Pathogenesis. The causative organism is pathogenic for the 
parrot, parrakeet, pigeon, fowl, mouse, rabbit and guinea pig. All 
discharges of an infected bird are infective and in view of the close 
contact between birds there is every opportunity for transmission 
of infection. The disease occurs most frequently among birds dur- 
ing shipment from the tropics and shortly after landing. Contribu- 
tory faetors to its occurrence seem to be the unusual restraint, crowd- 
ing, filthy cage conditions, climatic conditions and general hard- 
ships suffered during shipment. 
Symptoms. The disease is manifested by shivering, inappe- 
tence, diarrhea with frothy greenish droppings which are sometimes 
bloody. The bird exhibits great thirst, drowsiness and disinclination 
