152 DISEASES OF DOMESTICATED BIRDS 
the disease the pain seemed to appear suddenly and on account of 
it the bird crouched and stopped eating. This coincided with the 
appearance of isolated gouty nodules. Gradually the periods of 
pain became more frequent, the appetite was entirely lost and death 
followed. The deposits of uric acid crystals in the joints were not 
especially marked. In the second form the attacks of pain did not 
appear in so typical a manner, but the nodules were larger and oc- 
curred principally on the joint capsules and tendon sheaths of the 
wings. The third type was visceral and the deposits were limited 
principally to the serous membranes and the kidneys. The experi- 
ment proves the dietetic origin of gout. 
Diagnosis. The symptoms of the joint inflammation are dis- 
tinct: occasional loss of appetite, swelling of the joints, disinclina- 
tion to move. At other intervals, the appetite is good and the swell- 
ings decrease. At last there is no eating, inability to move, ema- 
ciation, rapid loss of strength and death. 
Visceral gout cannot be recognized in the living bird. 
Treatment. Operative treatment is of little use but may be re- 
sorted to in valuable birds. The joint tubercles should be opened 
to evacuate the contents and an antiseptic dressing applied. 
As soon as the cause of death is revealed by autopsy an appropriate 
diet should be provided for the other birds kept under similar 
conditions. The feeding of a rich proteid diet should be restricted, 
with a fast of one day a week. Grain feed, abundant green feed 
or roots should be provided. 
RACHITIS 
Characterization. The disease consists of disturbance of normal 
bone formation of which the most prominent evidence is the deficient 
deposition of calcium salts. While the course of the disease is not 
well understood, it seems clear that it is caused by a general inter- 
ference with nutrition. Deficiency of intake of lime is concerned. 
Rachitis is a disease of young birds and seldom occurs in birds over 
half a year old. It is limited almost exclusively to fowls and occurs 
seldom in the turkey, waterfowl and pigeons. 
Symptoms. The birds show exhaustion, difficulty in locomo- 
tion, inappetence, diarrhea, paleness of the mucose and emacia- 
tion. 
Morbid anatomy. Autopsy reveals intestinal catarrh and 
lesions of the bones. The large bones of the extremities are bent as. 
