INFECTIOUS DISEASES OF GEESE AND DUCKS 247 
Symptoms. In general the disease is manifested in two forms, 
either as a pure acute type with rapidly fatal result, or as a chronic 
form terminating in death or recovery after a long time. 
In the acute type as described by Freese, young geese and ducks 
appear apathetic and eat less. When driven it is seen that they are 
very lame in one or the other leg. The joints of the legs are swollen, 
fluctuating, hot and very painful. Usually only a few joints are in- 
volved, among them most frequently the hock and single toe joints. 
The wing joints may also be involved and of these frequently the 
elbow is involved. In this case, the affected wing droops. Besides 
symptoms of arthritis one observes severe diarrhea and often a 
slight mucous catarrh of the conjunctive. Birds showing the acute 
symptoms die in from two to four days. 
In the chronic form of the disease the arthritis is the most promi- 
nent feature of the clinical picture while the general symptoms are 
less marked. There is a slight diarrhea during the first few days 
and appetite does not entirely disappear. The birds do not appear 
quite apathetic but frequently make efforts to walk. They become 
greatly emaciated. These symptoms may last for various lengths 
of time, on the average, 14 days. Then, either death occurs or the 
birds improve with gradual disappearance of symptoms of acute 
arthritis. Nevertheless in many cases a painless swelling of cer- 
tain joints remains for weeks. In this case the birds walk stiffly for 
a long time. They remain halted in development so that they are 
not suitable for fattening. In isolated cases during the chronic 
course, an acute relapse may occur followed by death. 
Lucet describes two types of the disease. One, designated as the 
peracute type, is rapidly fatal. In this, the osseous lesions are 
slightly pronounced or sometimes inappreciable. The other type, 
the acute, is accompanied by epiphyseal osteitis and arthritis. The 
duration of the disease is much longer and is terminated by death 
after a variable time or by recovery. 
In the acute type as observed by Lucet there is depression, the 
head is bowed, the feathers are ruffled, dirty and dull. The mucose 
are pale, diarrhea occurs, there is no appetite and the rectal tempera- 
ture is markedly elevated. The infected subjects lag behind the 
others, walk with difficulty, limp and assume a crouching position 
frequently. All these symptoms rapidly become aggravated. The 
upright position becomes impossible, the members are incapable of 
movement and the collapse is extreme. The head rests on the 
ground by the beak. Death occurs in one, two or three hours. 
