SECTION XIV 



Bacteria of the Intestinal 

 Tract of Chickens 



The bacterial flora of the intestinal tract of birds 

 has been receiving considerable study during re- 

 cent years. The alimentary tract of man and ani- 

 mals contains many millions of bacteria, of many 

 varieties. Many of these are constantly present 

 and constitute what is known as the normal in- 

 testinal flora. In the newly-born child or animal 

 the intestinal tract is sterile, that is, it contains 

 no germs, but as soon as it partakes of food and 

 water the intestines are seeded and ever after 

 contain bacteria in large numbers. The same can 

 be said of the chick. 



Some of these germs are not harmful, but give 

 off ferments similar to the cells of the accessory 

 glands of digestion; these ferments may aid in 

 splitting up foodstuffs and in preparing it for 

 absorption. Ferments of this kind have been 

 called organized ferments, but we have now 

 learned that such ferments do not in any way 

 differ in action from those secreted by the stom- 

 ach, pancreas or intestinal glands. It is their fer- 

 ments, and not the germs themselves, that cause 

 the splitting up of the food nutrients. 



Some of the bacteria are at times injurious, and 

 often times pathogenic organisms (disease germs) 

 gain access to the intestinal tract and may pro- 

 duce disease, if the- bird is susceptible. There 

 are also, at times, protozoa present, especially 

 those belonging to the coccidia group. 



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