The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-11-14
C0NTAGIOUS CATARRH
OF FOWLS, GROUP.

peciany during the fall and winter,
are those showing catarrhal nantes
kations in the head. Two kinds of ca
tarrh may be recogn1zed-the simple
form, or common cold, and the con-
1agious form, also known as roup-
This latter is distinguished from an
wEhSF. disease sometimes called r0up,
EnMt more properly designated dfph-
E1heria because of it's characteristic
3Efembranous exudate in the mouth.
Simple catarrh is a common dis
ease of the air passages and is assoc
ciated with improper housing that
permits damp atmosphere and un-
due exposure to drafts during cold.
wet weather. Weak stock orspoorly
nourished birds are more likely to be
affected by these conditions than
strong, vigorous, well-fed individuals.
The affected fowls are more or less
dull, their appetites are diminished,
breathing becomes difficult and a
thin watery discharge that later be-
comes viscid escapes from the nos
Ertls or mouth. 't.
1t is usually only necessary 90 re-
move the cause of the condition to
bring about recovery. In severe ca
ses the mouth and nostri1s should be
washed out once OF twice daily with
per cent boracic acid or per cent
creolin solution. 49,.
Contagious catarrh or roup is an
infectious disease of great economic
Importance because of its wide DIS
fribution and the usual severity OF its
attack. Briefly stated, it's symptoms
are a sudden and severe cold, with in
creased Temperature OF the head, gen
orally diarrhoea and extreme debi1-
dty. In very acute cases death may
ensue within a few days after the,
bird is observed to be sick: Usual
1y the bad cases Hnger for week
or more and show progressively in
creasing symptoms The secretions,
instead of remaining fluid as in SIM
pie catarrh, become thick, purulent,
or cheesy, and may Obstruct the nasal
ipassa ges, causing the mouth to be
kept open to facilitate breathing. The
inflammation may extend to the eye,
and the resulting secretion accumu-
hates, obstructing vision and occasion
ally forcing the eyebaH from its SOCK
ct The fowl becomes emaciated,
sleepy and. unconscious, strength is
soon exhausted, and death follows
AEfider cases may assume a more
chronic form, symptoms being appar-
sent up to six weeks or longer when
recovery may follow; or fowls may
be more or less sick for several years,
acute attacks developing when the vi
xaIity is lowered as a result of cold
and dampness or other unfavorable
conditions 1t is these chronic cases
that serve as carriers of infection and
furnish the source of new outbreaks.
Roup spreads rapidly through
Hock, affecting a large percentage of
the birds and causing the death of
variable proportion according to the
ivirulence Of the contagion. Young
birds are especially susceptible, the
mortality reaching IS per cent. at
times; adult birds frequently recover.
Medical treatment may be under
taken with good chances of success.
One of the best methods is to plunge
the fowFs head into a vessel contain
ing a per cent solution of pernan-
REanate of potash and hold it there for
half a minute BY this, method the,
lining membrane OF the nostrf1s and
saaaouth is thoroughly sbathed. by the
solution. Previous to the above
treatment any secretionS which have
dried over the nasal openings should
be removed Affected eyes will res
opnd rapidly to argyrol in Is per
cent solution One or = two drops
should be placed in each eye twice a
day. At the beginning of an out
break the entire flock should be Civ
en- EPSON salts in the proportion of
sone-third teaspoonfuI to each adult
bird A convenient way of admin
-tztration- is to dissolve the salts in
water and use the solution-in mixing
- mash
g Asthes treatment of a large number
Epf fowls takes time and is relatively
Expensive for ordinary stock, it is APP
parent that the best method of COM
batting roup- is prevention. This can
usually be accomplished by observing
proper sanitary precautions.
e. TO successfully guard against roup
she poultryman or farmer must APP
sspreciate the fact that roup is an in
isfectious disease resulting from the To-
Salvation in the head of certain spe-
@Eiffc germs or Inicro-o or ganisrns which
sby their rapid increase in number and
doxic action on the system produce
4he abnormal symptoms above men
4ioned- These germs may be spread
sbSssyaE1oMs agencies They may be
brought to uninfected yards on the
shoes or clothing of persons who
have been among infected fowls, Oh
on implements, incubatorS, etc, pre-
viously exposeds OF they may be in
troduced, by free-hyfng birds. How
ever, by far the most direct and us
uaI uefhod of Introduction is through
the acdufsidon OF infected fowls, OF
the exposure of healthy fowls to in.
fectsd birds or cages at poultry
showss
1t should be the practice of th1
poultry raiser when buying new
stock TO ascertain as far as possible
whether the birds have been exposed
to Infectious disease of any sort
and to further protect his flock by iso
1ating the new birds for a period O
two to three weeks and closely nb
serving them. Birds exhibited it
spread. All sick fowls should be iso
lated Immediately, and treated if de
sired frequently 1t Is better pol
icy to destroy those first affected, be
cause of the danger of the infection
being carried on the hands or efotfiin,
of the attendant to unexposed fowls ii
other pens. When birds are treats
the operator should. carefully dfsfn
feet his hands before feeding o
handling other birds. The house
and runs should now be cleaned thor
oughIy, all Hitter and droppings be
ing removed and should be disin
fected with carbolic acid in per cent
solution, Or cresol In per cent. so
luton An, birds that die must b
burned or deeply buried. To proven
the massage OF Organisms from in feet