62 DISEASES OF DOMESTICATED BIRDS 
denly displayed lack of appetite with depression and died soon. 
Autopsy revealed extraordinary softness of the spleen and liver to- 
gether with limited subcutaneous hemorrhages. Preparations from 
the blood revealed bipolar rods. The organism isolated from the 
cases showed the morphology and biologic characteristics of B. colt. 
The organism was pathogenic for canaries. On the other hand, 
guinea pigs could not be infected by either subcutaneous nor intra- 
venous injection with 2 cc. doses of 24 hour bouillon culture. 
Pigeons. Sanfelice observed an outbreak of a disease among 
pigeons caused by B. coli. Most of the birds appeared at autopsy 
as follows: On opening the abdominal cavity a sero-fibrinous exu- 
date is noted on the whole surface of the intestines. The abdominal 
fluid is increased in amount. The spleen is swollen. There are 
adhesions of the intestines, the heart and the liver. The exudate 
appears in the form of a pseudomembrane in that when grasped 
with tweezers, it pulls off completely. In some pigeons besides the 
peritonitis described, there is inflammation of the mucosa of the 
oviduct, which is covered with a purulent exudate. Often eggs are 
found in the oviduct, which could not be laid on account of the 
inflammation. An organism identified as B. coli was observed in 
smears and was recovered in culture from the organs. Pigeons 
inoculated subcutaneously with one to one and one half c.c. of cul- 
ture, developed an abscess at the point of inoculation but did not 
die. Larger doses injected into the abdominal cavity caused death. 
Pheasants. Klein described an organism isolated from young 
pheasants dead of an infectious disease. The organism was motile, 
somewhat shorter than B. colt and did not coagulate milk. He 
concludes that the organism, though belonging to the same family as 
B. coli, was a different species. 
GROUSE DISEASE 
Under the name of grouse disease, Klein has described a pneu- 
monia caused by a member of the B. coli group. Subsequent inves- 
tigation by a committee of inquiry on grouse disease revealed the 
fact that the condition of the lungs described by Klein represents 
post-mortem changes. The supposed etiological agent is regarded 
by the committee as a post-mortem invader. It was noted that 
Klein had opportunity to study only birds that had been dead sev- 
eral days. The cause of mortality among grouse was watched by 
the committee very closely for six years and in no instance was 
