The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1919-07-18

prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture.)
''T. B." in the flock does not stand
for talented breadwinners." 1t signi-
fies that the fowl are afflicted with
tuberculosis, which means that the
flock as unit must Ego west" Half
way measures are futile in fighting
tuberculosis, as there Is no treatment
of any avail against the disease in
poultry. The one practical course is
to kill off the whole flock with maxi
mum expedition and Immediately
thereafter to disinfect thoroughly all
the houses and runs.
tuberculosis of fowls Is chronic
contagious disease, characterized by
the development of nodules called tu-
bercles in various organs of the body,
but most frequently in the liver, spleen
and intestines. T. b. of fowls is read
fly communicated to most species of
birds and to several species of man.
mails, but 1t Is almost impossible to
communicate the tuberculosis of man
and cattle to fowls. Parrots and the
smaller Gagged birds are very suscep-
tible to human tuberculosis, however,
and are often affected by 1t.
/. T. 3. Introduced by Purchase.
tuberculosis Is generally introduced
into the poultry yard by fowls pur-
chased from infected fiocks, or by eggs
Of diseased birds that are obtained for
Matching. If the disease exists In
neighboring flocks the contagion may
be carried by small birds or animals
passing from one yard to another. A
popularity of tuberculosis of birds is
that the liver and intestines are nearly
always very severely affected. and
that as q consequence the bacilli are
very numerous In the intestinal con-
tents and are scattered with the drop
pings everywhere that the fowl 60
The introduction Of a single diseased
bird. therefore, may cause the infec.
ton of the greater part Of the flock In
a few weeks. In the same way when
wild birds contract the disease the ba-
GILL are carried and deposited in all
the yards which they visit.
The eggs Of diseased birds frequent
ly contain the bacilll, as has been
proved by the incubation of material
from such eggs into susceptible exper'
mental animals. The young chicks
Matched from such infected eggs are
diseased when they leave the shell
and of course soon infect the poultry
with which they run. Moreover. since
the infertile incubated eggs are often
fed to chickens, 1t is evident that
even the eggs which do not hatch may
introduce the contaglon unless they
are cooked before feeding. Pigs, cats
rats and mice are especially liable to
be infested with fowl tuberculosis,
from eating the carcasses of birds
which have died. to the extent that
these animals transmit the contagion
to other fowls. Even calves and colts
are sometimes found suffering from
this form Of tuberculosis.
No Early External Evidences.
For the most part there are no ex-
ternal symptoms Of L. b. In the flock
until the disease has reached an ad'
vanced stage Of development. Then
the birds begin to show gradual loss
of weight. wasting Of muscles. pale
ness of the comb. and toward the end
dizziness and oleepiness. Very often
there Is at the same time a tubercu-
lous Inflammation of the joints and OF
the sheaths of tendons. which Is re-
vealed by lameness, swelling Of the
joints and legs. and sometimes by the
formation of hard external tumors OF
considerable size. Occasionally the
skin over the swollen joints breaks
the interior of the joint Is liberated,
and a small quantity Of pus containing
large numbers of tubercle bacilli Is
discharged. Swellings and bony en-
largements Of the joints of fowl are
invariably suspicious and their nature
should always be investigated by kill
ing the bird and examining the liver
spleen and intestines to determine
whether these have on their surfaces
any whitish or yellowish spots which
when cut into prove to be tuberculous
masses.
As was previously mentioned pre-
vention by the rapid determination OF
the diseased flock Is the only effective
control when T. B. goes on rampage
among the fowl. II any birds slightly
affected are retained the chances are
they will be subsequent carriers and
!, distributors Of the disease. Hence II
- not advisable to keep any fowls
that have been exposed to the CON
-tasion, - matter how valuable thsy
may b. Ths birds that. have died
.or arr killed, ~ well a. al the accu'