EPITHELIOMA C‘ )JMT AGIOSDM (BOL.) 
75 
were covered with scabs on the 15th day; by the 26 th day, most 
of the tumors had disappeared, and by the 32d day the birds 
had entirely recovered. The tumors were succeeded by cicatrices, 
on which the feathers reappeared. Birds inoculated by Bollinger 
all died except a pigeon. The mortality varies greatly with the 
various epidemics. Whilst these epidemics are most common in 
summer, Dr. Csokor saw one in February, and a Hungarian col¬ 
league says it is most frequent among young turkeys during the 
spring months. Dr. Csokor prefaces his microscopical study of 
the eiuption by a minute description of the normal histology of 
the comb, gills, and mucous membrane in the chicken. The former 
consist simply of stellate connective tissue cells, with isolated 
elastic fibres, which conjoiii to give a fasciculated appearance. 
Numerous papillae are found, and the whole is covered by a five¬ 
cell or ten-cell layer of membrane; the vascular supply is rich ; 
the tissue belongs to the erectile. After the first tumor appears, 
it is followed by smaller ones, in the immediate circumference. 
Other primary nodules, however, soon appear. The beginning of 
the morbid process is from the rete Malphigii, between the pap¬ 
illae with increase of the epidermic cells, and rapid proliferation 
of the nuclei. The cells become dry, and the nuclei are not to 
be distinguished. In the lower layer are found the peculiar bod¬ 
ies (koerperchen, not colored by eosine) as in the molluscum con- 
tagiosum. The peculiar bodies are sickle shaped, lying outside 
of the cells of the ground substance. They are about the size of 
the red blood cell, of a greenish tinge, sharply formed, and trans¬ 
parent in the middle. The sickle shape turns to a wedge, lemon, 
and finally to a round one, the bodies still remaining outside of 
the cells. Larger bodies are then found in the cells—large shin¬ 
ing balls appear in the majority of cases ; these belong to the 
same general class as the monocystis , coccidium oviformi , and the 
psorosperma , as the author shows from an accurate microscopic 
study. Dr. Csokor comes to the following conclusions. 
1st.—There is not a variola of fowls. All heretofore dis- 
cribed disease of this kind corresponds to the molluscum contag- 
iosum. 
2d.—This disease is best described by the name of epitheli¬ 
oma contagiosum. 
