Antibiotics in the Treatment of an Unfamiliar Turkey Disease

In 1944, there was recognized in the State of Washington an unfamiliar turkey disease. The outbreaks affected adults in the fall at or near marketing time. The main characteristics of the disease are as follows: sudden onset and very rapid spread, all the birds in many cases being affected simultaneously. Morbidity approaches 100 percent, with mortality varying from negligible up to about 15 percent, rarely higher. The entire flock, however, goes “off feed” and suffers great loss of condition and weight. This effect constitutes by far the major economic loss from the disease. Other external manifestations are, marked cyanosis of the head, sour crops, and fetid diarrhea. Internally, the disease is characterized by catarrhal, mucoid-like enteritis of the small intestine, usually inflammation of the kidney, and sometimes widespread deposition of urates on the abdominal viscera and focal necrosis of the liver. The course of the disease in flocks is two . . .