PARROT DISEASE GERM.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17995, 14 April 1930, Page 14

PARROT DISEASE GERM.

IN DEAD BIRD’S CAGE. EXPERIMENTS ON GUINEA PIGS. That he had isolated the bacillus psittacosis, the germ which causes parrot disease, was the claim made at an inquest at Birmingham 'by Professor G. J. Lewis, of Birmingham University, says a London paper, lie was giving evidence at the resumed inquiry into the death of Charles Gardner, 58, a Ihrcshing machine owner, of Upper Cape, Marwick, who died in Birmingham Hospital from psittacosis. Gardner’s wife and son were both treated at the hospital l’or a similar illness, but recovered.

Mrs Gardner, who was called as a witness, explained that at Christmas her children gave her an Amazon green parrot, which was kept in the sittingroom. The parrot died and was replaced by another of the same variety, which also died. A nurse who accompanied her when the purchase was made had since developed the illness. Mr George Bruce Chapman, an importer of foreign birds and animals, stated that he had a branch establishment in Birmingham, from which Mrs Gardner’s parrots were bought. The birds, which came from Australia, the West Coast of Africa, and Brazil, were distributed through (he country. Their mortality on the voyage varied from sto 15 per cent. After consultation with the Ministry of Health, he had decided to quarantine the parrots. ''According to Dr. A. P. Thompson, hon. physician to Birmingham General Hospital, wiien Gardner was admitted he showed signs similar to those lie had noticed previously in a considerable number of cases in which illness had followed contact with a sick parrot. lie had no doubt the condition of Mr and Mrs Gardner was connected with diseased birds. Of 22 similar cases in Birmingham and neighbourhood five had proved fatal, and in 19 of the cases there was a direct history of contact with a sick parrot. The coroner, Dr. Davidson, asked whether, without a history of contact with a sick parrot, it would be Possible to Diagnose Psittacosis? Dr. Thompson replied that the character of the illness was so definite that in well-marked cases he could make a diagnosis without any previous history of a sick bird. lie had done so on three occasions. He thought the possibility of infection from a bird which had been in this country for six months was so slight that it might be disregarded, although he did not think it was impossible. Professor Lewis, who was described as an Associate Professor of Public Health in Birmingham University, told the Court that he had examined the cage in which Mrs Gardner's parrots ■died. From it he isolated a bacillus which he identified as the bacillus psittacosis. The organism was almost dead, but revived on culture. It proved fatal to guinea-pigs. He had no doubt that illness and possibly fatal illness would result from human infection with the organism. It might bo caused by handling a parrot or cleaning the cage, and infection was also possible from Inhalation of the dust when cleansing the oage,

The coroner observed that the cases in Britain were associated with recently acquired birds. There was danger In handling sick birds, and the habit of fondling, kissing, or feeding parrots, by mouth was particuiarly dangerous. The bacillus psittacosis was discovered about 1890, and again noted In 1920.

Tne jury found that Gardner died from pneumonia and septicaemia, following infection by the bacillus psittacosis, but they were not satisfied that the evidence definitely established that the infection was due to a sick parrot.