CONTAGIOUS DISEASES 227 



The bird shows a loss of appetite and grows gradually 

 weaker, becomes emaciated, and in from three to ten days 

 after showing the first symptoms may die, or the disease may 

 assume a more chronic form and extend over a period of many 

 months. 



Prevention. — It is necessary to do all possible in the way of 

 preventative measures to stop its spread and exterminate the 

 disease from the premises. It is possible that the disease in 

 some cases is perpetuated and spread by a hen or even a tur- 

 key possessing great resistance, having a chronic ulcer of the 

 bowel due to this germ, and continually gives off the germs 

 in their droppings, making turkey raising on that farm 

 unprofitable. 



There is always a source of danger of introducing the disease 

 in a flock or locality by a bird from an infected flock. In 

 securing new birds make sure they are not from a flock where 

 blackhead exists among them. 



On account of their great money value, often when turkeys 

 begin to die they are rushed off to market, as often was the 

 case in hog-cholera before the strict interstate law, which was 

 promulgated and put into force for the protection of the livestock 

 industry. If they be distributed among unsuspecting breeders 

 much harm will be done, for from the one focal center many 

 foci of disease may thus result. 



We are told that a few years ago blackhead in turkeys was a 

 disease unknown in South Africa. Some ambitious breeder 

 of that country imported some nice American stock, and be- 

 cause of the fact that this breeder in this country was unmind- 

 ful of the necessity of being careful from a sanitary standpoint, 

 and send only a stock uninfected and unexposed to contagious 

 disease, blackhead was introduced into that country, and like 

 this country, now possesses some portions where turkey raising 

 is found wholly unprofitable on account of permanent infec- 

 tion in some poultry premises. 



Disinfection should be carried out as far as possible. As the 

 turkeys usually roost in trees, upon fences, and the tops of the 

 smaller buildings it is very difficult to disinfect the premises. 



Feed should be given from troughs, and if chickens eat with 

 the turkeys the top of the feed hopper or troughs should be 



