BACILLARY WHITE DIARRHEA fg 
previously affected. At the end of four days, the unattacked chicks 
have generally acquired a resistance to acute infection. The re- 
sistance at this age, while very apparent in broods of young chicks, 
is not absolute, since fatal outbreaks in old fowls are recorded in the 
literature on the disease. 
Half grown guinea pigs are killed in from 24 to 48 hours when 
injected subcutaneously. The chief lesion is a large edematous area 
beneath the skin of the abdomen. Rabbits are killed in three to 
seven days by subcutaneous injection of one to two c.c. of 48 hour 
bouillon culture. In the case of all experimental inoculations, the 
organism may be recovered in pure culture from all the internal 
organs. 
Mortality. Bacillary white diarrhea is, without doubt, the most 
fatal disease of young chickens. Among those broods affected, the 
death rate varies between 40 and 90 per cent. The high percentage 
is more often registered than the low one. 
Symptoms. The external symptoms of bacillary white diar- 
rhea are similar to those of coccidial and aspergillar white diarrhea. 
The presence of soft, whitish droppings and similar symptoms in 
each case caused these three diseases to be grouped under the com- 
mon term “ white diarrhea.” The position of each as an important 
specific disease requires that they should be treated separately, espe- 
cially since they are not confined to young chicks but affect grown 
fowls as well. 
The affected bird is drowsy, and dejected in appearance. The 
feathers are ruffled, the wings droop and the chick sways back and 
forth in a standing position. The appetite is diminished. The 
irritation of the droppings when being voided often causes the 
chick pain as evidenced by a peculiar cry at the time. The drop- 
pings may adhere to the down about the vent, blocking the opening. 
This gives rise to the expression “ pasting up behind.” In acute 
cases the chick soon falls to the floor and death occurs after a short 
period of coma. In more chronic cases the chick remains standing 
in a dull inattentive position a good portion of the time while not 
under the hover or hen. It acquires the appearance of having a 
short back and a large abdomen. Often one or both feet swell. 
The chick stands on one leg with the toes of the elevated foot just 
touching the floor. Lameness is shown in attempts to walk. 
The disease may show itself within two or three days after the 
chicks are hatched and spread rapidly through the brood. The 
period of incubation is four to ten days. Deaths begin to occur 
