Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-04-01
,BEST METHODS OF PROTECTION
AGAINST WHITE DIARRHEAE
Original Source of the Infec-
tion Lies in the Ovary of
the Hen
Treatment of Eggs, Chicks
and Fowls as a Precaution
BY Prof. James b. Norman
Former Expert for the United States
Department of Agriculture.
COPYRIGHT 1916

COPYRIGHT 1916
One of the worst diseases of young
chicks is Coccidiosis commonly called
white diarrhoca. which is widespread
and infectious. The younger the chick
the more liable it is to die from the
disease. IL is very important, therefore,
for poultrykeepers to know the best
means of protecting chicks against this
| disease.
|TNHOUGH it is not generally known,
| mature female fowls are the or
iginal source of white diarrhoea.
! 1t arises in the oVary of tie mother
| hen. The ovary develops the yolk of
the egg. The danger of transmission
to young chicks comes when these
eggs are affected by the spores of
| the parasite.
Since the yolk forms the nourish-
ment for the developing embryo dur
ing incubation, many chicks have the
disease when hatched. But this is not
the only danger. White diarrhoea is
easily transmitted to we'll chicks in
various ways, which can be clearly
understood by studying the organism
which causes the disease.
Cause of White Diarrhoea
A minute animal parasite is the
cause of white diarrhoea. This organ
ism lives and multiplies within the in
testines of yeung chicks. The physio-
| logical effect of the parasite is to de-
stroy the cells in the food passage
where the main digestive processes are
carried on.
In one stage of its growth the para
site is passed from the diseased chick
within its droppings. Thus the soil
! first becomes affected. Then, if the
| soil contaminates either the food or
the water, so that the spores of the
parasite are swallowed by other
chicks, they also become afflicted with
the disease.
The spores or crysts are resistant
forms of the parasite. They pass with
the eXcrement of an infected chick.
If some cysts are swallowed by a we'll
chick with food or water they re-
main unchanged until they reach that
part of the digestive tract called the
duodenum. Here the spores escape
from the cyst and attach themselves
to the cells of the intestines, which
they finally penetrate. Once inside,
the parasite grows rapidly at the ex-
pense of the cell it has invaded. The
life cycle of the spore is completed in
about eight days.
How the Disease Is Spread
Infection from chick to chick usual
ly takes place during the first three or
four days of their life. This is the
most critical neriod for the spread of
the disease by external means. The
droppings of affected chicks are the
chief source of communicating soil,
food and water. BY this means the
grass on an open poultry run, or the
soil of a pen or yard, is easily con-
taminated. When the droppings be-
come dry they crumble and are blown
from place to place by the wind. In
fected dust containing spores is de-
nFN 1nn &c 81 lit Ill
or mature hens, and thus they become
diseased. If the spores drop into the
food or water where younger chicks
are kept, outbreaks of the disease will
occur among them. Forty days of
exposure of white diarrhoea spores in
water does not destroy them. Since
young chicks are more susceptible to
the disease than more mature birds,
protection of food and water against
contamination becomes of the great
est Importance.
Infection is spread by other fowls
one to the other, mainly by coming
in contact with infected droppings.
Birds. such as pigeons or sparrows,
eat contaminated food, but the para
sites pass through the bodies of small
birds unchanged. The droppings of
these birds in clean yards are liable
to start new centers of infection. The
cysts of white diarrhoea also pass
through the bodies of flies unchanged
or in any way impairing their vitality.
Even such minute objects as the eX-
crement of flies become a means of
injecting young poultry. The spread
OF the disease in these various ways
renders it absolutely necessary to take
the best precautions against it,
During the first week of infection,
the effect of white diarrhoea is most
fatal. After this time, the deaths are
CT fRnn11nY.f TI4 zl.f til
| stronger vitality may recover. But, as
rule, such chicks do not make sat
| isfactory growth. If they are fe-
males, they often continue to harbor
| the disease and they become a con-
stant source of infection. These birds
are called "chronics." They spread
the disease to chicks they may hatch
and rear, and constitute a danger 10
older fowls when replaced In the
yards.
Symptoms of the Disease
There may be no prominent symp-
toms of white diarrhoea, except weak
ness and lack of vitality, if death oc-
ours within few days after the chicks
are hatched. When the disease be-
comes pronounced the victims soon
become listless, sleepy, and sometimes
droop their wings. If they are incu-
! bator chicks, they will huddle to-
gether under the hover; IL they are
with mother hen, they want to be
brooded most of the time. They lose
appetite and do not eat much.
In severe cases the chicks stand
around with eyes closed. They become
Indifferent to everything around them
/ except that many will chirp con-
stantly as if cold or in distress. Ere
quently, when chicks try to void ex-
crement, they will utter a shrill. pain
full twitter, the breathing is labored
and they gasp for breath.
In such cases the discharge from
the vent may be slight or abundant
in color white or creamy, and some
times mixed with brown. This dis
charge frequently sticks to the down
and may even stop up the vent. Dur
ing this stage Of the disease, the
chick may die suddenly even while
apparently still strong. But if the dis.
ease is prolonged, the victims gradu.
ally grow thinner and weaker unit
they succumb. With few exceptions
the death OF chicks from white
diarrhoea Will occur within a month
of being hatched. If chicks which
have had the disease survive they arr
so weakened that they fall an cas-,
prey to ailments which would easily
be resisted by chicks with norma
health and vigor.
i