POULTRY DISEASES 
29 
white crust of coagulated exudate. Prom these necrosing patches the disease 
receives the name, avian diphtheria. The third location is the eye. There 
is at first an inflammation of the mucous membrane lining the anterior part of 
the eye-ball. As the disease progresses, the catarrhal product accumulates as 
a watery clot-like mass, whitish in color. The eyelids stick together and 
hold the material as it accumulates till the parts bulge outward. There is 
sneezing, shaking of the head and expulsion of mucous and loss of appetite; 
the bird appears weak, and has a tottery walk and becomes rapidly emaciated. 
Breathing is difficult at times, and often there is diarrhoea, and the bird dies 
in a few days. 
TREATMENT.—Correct any condition which may be a predisposing 
cause. The hen house should be well ventilated, but without drafts on the 
birds, and it should be cleaned and disinfected daily. If the bird is not valu¬ 
able, kill and burn it. Treatment with medicines differs with the location 
of the lesion. For the ulcers or diphtheritic patches in the mouth, nothing 
is better than burning with stick nitrate of silver (lunar caustic). For the 
Fig. 28. 
Figure 28.—Roup, Avian diphtheria, natural size, showing inner portion of 
upper and lower jaws; a, diphtheritic patches on edge of mouth and top portion 
of the tongue; b, same on roof of the mouth including hard palate. 
eyes, press open the lids and remove the material with clean absorbant cot¬ 
ton; then apply the material as for injection into the nostrils. Wash out the 
nostrils with a 20 per cent solution of common baking soda, then with perox¬ 
ide of hydrogen. With a medicine dropper or small syringe, inject some of 
the following; oil of thyme, 1 dram; oil of eucalyptus, 20 drops; oil of petrol, 
2 ounces. Give plenty of clean water and soft feed. Give one grain of quinine 
three times a day, as well as a tablespoonful of castor oil. 
