BACILLARY WHITE DIARRHEA 75 
present writers have encountered at autopsy a naturally infected 
fowl which had developed fatal B. pullorum septicemia from primary 
ovarian infection. 
Symptoms. In the chronic form, no symptoms are apparent to 
the observer. The fowls continue to lay, although from the number 
of retained and undeveloped ova, it is evident that laying is retarded. 
In the acute cases reported by Jones, within a period varying from 
two to six weeks after exposure by feeding, the affected birds showed 
a loss of appetite and energy. They appeared droopy and somnolent, 
with ruffled feathers and retracted heads. The combs and wattles 
were pale and more or less diarrhea was present. In the fatal cases, 
death ensued in from one to several days after the onset of symptoms. 
Morbid anatomy. In the acute cases autopsied by Jones the 
most constant lesions were the presence of small necrotic foci in the 
liver, spleen, pancreas and heart. The capsule of the liver, the peri- 
cardium and the heart were in many instances covered by a fibrinous 
exudate. 
In the majority of chronic cases, autopsy will show the lesions to 
be confined to the ovary. This organ usually presents an appear- 
ance quite characteristic. The diseased ova which have partially or 
wholly developed are hard, shrunken and angular. The natural yolk 
color has changed to a dark brown or greenish color. On cut section 
the ova are of a tough cheesy consistency, with a yellowish red, or 
greenish tinge. The condition of the ova closely resembles “ gan- 
grene of the ovary” of earlier writers. The morbid ova may also 
appear as cysts, with darkened fluid contents. Occasionally only 
small cysts are present in the ovary and it is through cultural meth- 
ods alone that the presence of pullorum infection may be detected. 
Small foci consisting of sac-like structures with yellowish colored 
solid or fluid contents may occur in almost any portion of the ab- 
dominal or pleural cavities. Involvement of the pericardial sac is 
not uncommon. 
The causative bacterium may be readily isolated from the angular 
ova or cysts and grown on artificial culture media. In some cases 
where ovarian lesions are not pronounced, it is necessary to remove 
the ovary and disintegrate aseptically. The mass is placed in a 
flask of bouillon, from which cultures may be plated on agar and 
the organism isolated in pure culture. 
Diagnosis. Several methods of diagnosing the presence of B. 
pullorum in fowls are available and are more or less satisfactory. 
The presence of bacillary white diarrhea in a brood of chicks which 
