Plasma Ascorbic Acid Levels of Chicks with Fowl Typhoid

Ascorbic acid, not usually considered a dietary essential for chicks, has been found to stimulate growth under certain conditions (Briggs et al., 1944; March and Biely, 1953). Furthermore, Hill and Garren (1955) have shown that ascorbic acid increased the resistance of chicks to fowl typhoid when fed with other vitamins. Satterfield et al. (1940) presented evidence indicating that in many poultry diseases, including fowl typhoid, the plasma ascorbic acid level was lower than that of non-diseased birds. Squibb et al. (1955) also found variation in the serum ascorbic acid levels of chicks with disease, the level being lower in coryza and higher in birds with cholera and Newcastle disease than in non-diseased birds. The work presented in this report was designed to reinvestigate the influence of fowl typhoid on the chick plasma ascorbic acid level and to determine the effect of dietary ascorbic acid on the level of this vitamin . . .