ROUP IN POULTRY

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1680, 11 May 1904, Page 67

ROUP IN POULTRY

Professor F. C. Harrison and Dr R, Streit, of the Ontario Department of Agriculture, have, just carried out an experimental study into the nature and treatment of roup in poultry. In their report they say that the views of poultry raisers as to the origin of roup differ very much. A small number trace it to a neglected case of ordinary cold or catarrh, basing their belief on the fact that among fowls living under hygienic conditions, where even common colds receive prompt attention, roup is quite unknown; but by far the greater number of breeders consider roup a more or loss infectious disease, which is said to he produced by a certain micro-organism. This view is strengthened by accounts of the disease in the literature of poultry breeders, according to which epidemics have been caused by diseased fowls being brought into healthy flocks. There is also an impression among poultrymen that fowls that have once overcome the disease possess a certain degree of immunity.

For several years in succession roup has made its appearance in the poultry yards of the Ontario Agricultural College, usually during the cold, damp weather of late autumn and early winter. It usually oausies a direct loss of from 10 to 15 per cent., and a much larger indirect one from the disease becoming chronic. It often lasts for months, and-makes the fowls attacked absolutely worthless either for table use or for breeding; and the most valuable fowls of the special breeds are the ones most frequently attacked bv the disease. Young birds, six moMhs or a year old, are particularly susceptible. .

IN THE MAJORITY OF CASES, the first symptoms of roup appear in the nostrils. Moore found the disease most frequently localised in the eyes; while, according to the statements in German, Italian, and 'French literature, the mouth, pharynx, nostrils, and wind-pipe are the places in which the first symptoms of the disease usually appear. Over 300 cases of the disease have been studied at this institution. Thirty-six of the most severe were examined daily for months. Of these, four recovered; and ’the others died, or were killed for dissection.

Roup usually appears first in weak fowls as catarrh of the nose. At one or both nostrils a serous fluid is observed. Occasionally on a cold night in autumn or early winter'a large part of the flock is suddenly attacked by catarrh; and next morning as many as three-fourths of the foivls show a serious nasal discharge. In from three to eight days many fowls under normal conditions recover from this catarrh, without any further result. In others, however, both the general and local conditions grow worse, and develop through all the different stages of roup. The serious nasal secretion soon becomes streaked with grey; a slimy matter forms and dries quickly in dirty crusts, which often completely closes the nostrils. The secretion never becomes yellow, as, according to Zuern and FriedbergerFroehner, is said to be the case in

EUROPEAN FOWL DIPHTHERIA. O'n the removal of the crusts around the nostrils, a few drops of grey secretion flow out. These can be increased by pressing the nostrils. In later stages, small, solid, yellowish-white particles of matter are often found in the grey nasal secretion. Tlie secretion decomposes and emits an offensive odour. On the 'mucous membrane of the nostrils small cancers form; or the whole nostril is completely filled with a firm, whitish-yellow cheeselike mass, which frequently grows very rapidly and separates the nostrils and forces the dorsal wall of the nostrils upward. The mass soon becomes Iry and brown on the outside, and it adheres quite firmly to the mucous membrane. If it is removed, it quickly forms again. As the changes above described progress, it becomes impossible for the bird to breathe through tlie nostrils, and the beak is kept open for breathing. In.the early stages of the catarrh, the irritation causes sneezing; hut later this symptom disappears. From the diseased mucous membrane of the nostrils, the inflammation easily spreads to . the mucous membrane of the mouth, pharynx and larynx; yet these parts may be the first seat of the infection. When the disease affects the eyes, there is often formed in the inner corner of the eye a viscous, lacrymal secretion, which contains air-bubbles. These bubbles come from the nose, and are forced into the eye through the lacrymal duct, because the natural air passage through tho nostrils is half stopped up and the air finds this outlet. Soon

A SERIOUS CONJUNCTIVITIS FORMS. The conjunctiva becames very moist, swollen, and grey. The secretion gradually assumes a slimy, purulent condition. The lids swell oedematously, and become perceptibly thicker in a single night. They are hot, sore, very much inflamed, and stick together very easily, because the eye at this stage of the disease is, for the most part kept shut. Often the lachrymal duct remains open, and the secretion passes out into the nasal or pharyngeal cavity. In all the more severe cases, however, this canal is completely closed. The accumulating secretion frequently overflows into the inner corner of the eye, and defiles the surrounding region with greasy crusts of dried secretion. The small feathers on the side of the head stick together, and often fall out. When the lids stick together, they are forced outwards by the masses of secretion formed under the eye. The secretion consists of a somewhat thin, clear, or turbid fluid, containing jelly-like lumps, which are clear or striped with grey. The gelatinous masses are formed-bv a homogenous, or lightly striped, uiiCtainable substance, mingled with pus corpuscles, epithelial cells, and bacteria. The grey parts are much richer in leucocytes than the clearer ones. The epithelial cells are ciliated, with or without a swollen unstainable nucleus. The free epithelial nuclei are usually very much swollen (as large as 16 mm.) round, homogenous, slightly granular, and unstainable. In the centre of the nucleus there may he found one or two small, round bodies which can be stained. If the secretion »s left in the closed eye-lid, it may be completely changed in 24 or 48 hours to a firm, smooth, yellowish-white, cheese-like body, . which fills up the whole eye-lid and lies like a cap over the whole bulbus oculi. This chessy mass may become so large that it forces the lids open, and projects between them. The outside then dries and becomes a brownish crust. Moore explains the formation of these cheesy masses by assumng that the liquid contents of the eye-lid undergo coagulation; hut, as stated above, they (the cheesy masses) are formed from jellylike masses in the eye-lid. In all probability, the secretion is an abnormal product of the lachrymal glands and conjunctiva*, and. contains epithelial cells, as well as free swollen epithelial nuclei. THE 1 GREY SPOTS of these gelatinous masses contain very many round cells. The greyer, firmer, and more turbid this mass becomes, the more numerous are the cells. When the mass finally assumes the cheese-like appearance, it consists of leucocytes, granular detritus, epithelial particles, and bacteria The yellow, cheese-like masses are produced by the pus corpuscles exuding in large numbers on the surface of the mucous membrane, where they stick together mix with the pathologic secretions * and probably with coagulable plasm. If the gelatinous masses are removed from the eye-lid and allowed to dry, they become a dirty, grey crust. These solid masses can be easily 'removed but they may sometimes adhere to a croupous membrane on the mucosa. In the further course of the conjunctivitis, small croupous membranes appear on the conjunctiva, and on the swollen lids, or

the mucous membranes. These usually adhere closely; and, on their removal, the mucous inembfane begins to bleed. The cornea may also become a direct seat of the disease, in which case SMALL CROUPOUS MEMBRANES form on it. • These may remain on the cornea, or spread over the conjunctiva or the bulbous oculi. Often the membrane grows through the whole cornea. If it falls off, the interior eye cavity is either directly opened, or the remaining layer of the diseased cornea is too thin to resist any following perforation. After the opening of the eye-cavity, a prolapse of the lens may occur; and following this, a purulent ophthalmia develops. After the destruction of one eye, the other usually becomes sympathetically diseased. If both eyes have been originally the seat of the disease, panophtlialmia may form on both sides.

The swellings in the eye-lids may remain the same for a ffing time; but, frequently, tho swelling spreads under the

inner corner of the eye towards tlie nostrils. The lids, as well as this tumour, have a'high temperature ; and are at. first soft and oedematous. Later, indurations form in tlie centre, which become larger and larger, and at last lie directly under the skin. .Tlie outside of these indurations is rough or smooth and the skin on it may be moved. In rare cases, an abscess forms instead of the induration. Besides the indirect affection of the eyes from the nostrils, there is a more direct way which is also very common. In such a case the cella infra-orbitalis is generally affected from the beginning of the roupy, nasal catarrh, and the retained secretions become so large that the bone-walls are pressed out in all directions. Later, these, under the ever-in-creasing pressure, become absorbed m some places; as, for example, between the inner corner of the eye and the tril. Here a hot tumour with a hard centre forms.