Chapter V: Post-Mortem Examinations

_1. Making the Examination_

A post-mortem examination should always be undertaken if there is any doubt as to the cause of death. Poultry rearers who are not already familiar with the normal appearance of the internal organs of a fowl should take the first opportunity of studying them.

Post-mortem examinations should be done in a systematic manner; but, if desired, a very speedy examination may be made by rapidly removing, or bending back, the breast bone of the unplucked bird.

It will be more generally satisfactory, however, to devote time to the operation, and it is suggested that the work be carried out on the following lines:

1. Nail the body of the dead fowl on a board in the position shown in Fig. 30, having first partly or wholly plucked the bird.

2. With a sharp knife cut along lines AC, BD (Fig. 30), and bend the breast bone backwards, exposing the internal organs. (Fig. 31.) As the breast bone is raised it will be necessary to cut through the mesentery and other connecting tissues. Break it back at D, cutting through the flesh and the muscle with sharp scissors.

3. Remove heart, liver, gall-bladder and spleen, making neat severances and without injury to any of the other organs. If the heart or large blood vessels be injured in the operation, blood will flow out and interfere with the work.

4. Cut through the œsophagus, below or above the crop, as most convenient, and also cut through the large intestine near the cloaca. Without disconnecting the parts, lift out the gizzard, intestines, and other portions of the alimentary canal, carefully tearing away the membranous tissues of the mesentery.

5. Spread the organs out and examine each one carefully and critically, making sections if necessary. (Fig. 32.)

6. Cut open gullet, crop, stomach, gizzard, intestines, and cæca and examine the contents.

7. Examine the lungs, cutting off a portion and throwing it into water, when it will float if healthy, but sink if congested.

8. Cut through the skin of the neck. Sever the windpipe near the head, and also where the bronchi enter the lungs. With scissors cut it open, and examine for molds or gapes or for exudates indicative of various forms of cold or lung congestion.

9. Examine the brain (Fig. 34) for blood clots. Some care will be necessary in cutting through the skull so as not to injure the brain tissue, which should be a milky white. A sharp and strong pair of scissors or a small, fine saw (e. g., tenon saw) will be useful for older birds. Remove the skin and cut from behind, raising the bones and exposing the brain.

_2. The Normal Condition of the Internal Organs_

(See Fig. 32.)

The _œsophagus_ carries the food from the mouth and passing down the neck beside the windpipe opens into—

The _crop_, where the food is macerated. Thence it gradually passes into—

The _true stomach_ (or proventriculus), which is lined with small gastric-secreting glands that may be seen with the naked eye. This organ is hidden by the liver, and opens directly into—

The _gizzard_, situated on the left side of the abdomen. It rests on the coiled-up mass of intestines. It is dark red and is partly hidden by the left lobe of the liver. The walls are strong and muscular. Here the food is ground against small bits of stone, etc. The partially digested food passes out through an aperture near the entrance of the true stomach into—

The _duodenum_ or upper portion of the small intestine. It forms a loop that incloses—

The _pancreas_, a compact, flattened organ, pinkish in color, that discharges its secretion by three ducts into the intestines.

The _small intestine_, after forming the loop (duodenum), continues its course. It first passes toward the left and is disposed in many folds connected by the mesentery; toward the end it passes up behind the true stomach. Connected to the intestines are the blind bodies known as—

The _cæca_, connected to the small intestines for several inches and which, after becoming considerably smaller in diameter, enter the alimentary tract where—

The _large intestine_ (rectum) starts. This portion of the intestines is short and enters—

The _cloaca_, into which the urinary and reproductive ducts discharge. The external opening is known as the _vent_ or _anus_.

The _brain_, situated in the back of the head, is protected by the cranial bones. It is milky white except where the blood vessels may be seen.

The _windpipe_ connects the larynx at the throat with the lungs branching into the two _bronchi_.

The _lungs_, situated in the upper portion of the thoracic abdominal cavity, are firmly attached to the ribs, in the interspaces between which they fit. They are flattened and oval in shape, bright red in color, and loose and spongy in texture.

The _heart_ is cone-shaped. The lower portion rests between the lobes of the liver. The heart is red and is inclosed in a sac (the pericardium) that is easily removed.

The _liver_, situated a little lower down than the heart, consists of two lobes. The right lobe is often larger than the left which may be cleft at the lower end. The left lobe covers the true stomach and part of the gizzard. If there is some delay in holding a post-mortem examination the edges of the lobes of the liver become discolored. Normally the color is a purplish red.

The _gall bladder_ fits into a shallow depression on the underside of the right lobe of the liver and appears green in color. A duct conveys the bile from the liver into the gall bladder, whence it passes by another duct into the intestine.

The _spleen_, a nearly round, reddish body, with a purplish tinge, is attached by a ligament to the right side of the true stomach and is hidden by the liver.

The _kidneys_ extend along the sides of the spine from immediately below the lungs to near the termination of the abdominal cavity. The general color is a chocolate red, but a small portion at the upper end (known as the adrenal), is yellow. There is no urinary bladder. The urates are carried direct through the _ureters_ to the cloaca.

The _testes_ (of the male bird) are attached to the upper portion of the kidneys. They are white or very light-colored, and may be of different sizes.

The _ovary_ (of the female bird), situated on the left side, covers the kidney on that side. It consists of numerous ova of various sizes each of which may develop into an egg. As an ovum passes through the oviduct it is first coated with an albuminous covering (the white of egg); lower down it is coated with a calcareous deposit that forms the shell of the egg. (Fig. 18.)

_3. Diagnosis of Disease by Post-Mortem Symptoms_

For purposes of diagnosis each organ must be examined. Note in each case if it is enlarged, spotted, ruptured, inflamed or engorged with blood. Observe if it is an unusual color or if it possesses any other symptom of an abnormal character.

A single symptom in a single organ, unless very pronounced and characteristic, will not be sufficient evidence for forming an accurate opinion as to the cause of death. But if the condition of the other organs and the symptoms before and attending death are taken into consideration, there will seldom be any difficulty, from a practical standpoint, in deciding upon the nature of the disease. Many points can be decided only by a pathologist with the aid of a microscope, such, for example, as the difference between coccidial and bacterial diarrhea, but it is quite enough for the poultryman to realize that one of his fowls has died of an attack of an acute form of diarrhea and that the rest of his birds may become infected.

The following notes draw attention to the main diagnostic symptoms observable on post-mortem examination, arranged under the heading of the organs affected. Other symptoms are put in parentheses.

POST-MORTEM SYMPTOMS

BRAIN

_Apoplexy._—Shown by congestion of blood vessels of brain. (Staggering gait and sudden death.)

HEART

_Cholera._—Punctiform hemorrhages are generally found in the heart in cases of cholera. (Yellow feces; diarrhea; sudden death of several or many fowls; inflammation of upper portion of intestines.)

LIVER

_Tuberculosis._—Yellowish-white spots on liver varying in size, somewhat _raised_ and convex; the spots or nodules may be readily separated from the rest of the liver. The liver itself is often very much enlarged. (Fowl gradually loses weight and may go lame; mesentery and spleen affected with nodules.)

_Cholera._—Liver enlarged, dark green and softened, sometimes showing whitish spots.

_Coccidial diarrhea._—More or less circular patches, depressed in the centre, associated with plugged cæca, the linings of which have sores.

_Congested liver._—Much enlarged and engorged with blood, may be readily torn.

_Fatty degeneration or fatty liver._—In the first case the liver is rather shrunken and hardened, and in the latter excessive deposits of fat may be noticed.

_Liver trouble._—(Indigestion.) An enlarged liver without any of the special symptoms noted among the other diseases of the liver.

_Gout._—Needle-like crystals (urate of soda) give the liver the appearance of having been covered with chalk. (Other organs in abdominal cavity covered with same powder-like crystals.)

_Aspergillosis._—Necrotic areas with mold. (Fowls go light and move about in a depressed manner, resting on their breast bones.)

STOMACH

_Gastritis._—The mucous membrane lining of the stomach is reddened and inflamed.

INTESTINES

_Diarrhea._—Acute forms of intestinal troubles give rise to inflammation of the mucous membrane lining the walls of the intestines.

_Cholera._—The upper portion of the intestines may be reddened and the contents show streaks or clots of blood.

_Worms._—Round or tape worms present in intestines.

CÆCA

These blind ducts are of importance in showing the presence of coccidiosis in fowls or blackhead in turkeys.

_Coccidial diarrhea._—The cæca are enlarged and show ulcers developing from the inside.

WINDPIPE

The linings of this organ should be clean and free of obstruction or mucous exudations.

_Gapes._—Small worms about three-quarters of an inch long are found attached to the trachea.

_Aspergillosis._—A whitish mold will be seen along the inside of the windpipe.

_Pneumonia._—The bronchial tubes contain a thick mucous exudate.

_Congestion of lungs._—Blood escaped from congested lungs is found in the bronchi.

LUNGS

These should be a bright red and spongy in texture.

_Congestion._—One or both lungs are distended with blood and dark in color.

_Pneumonia._—A condition that follows on congestion, the whole lung affected losing its spongy texture, the air spaces being filled with a semi-solid substance.

_Brooder pneumonia._—Spots due to an Aspergillus fungus on lungs. (Chickens attacked.)

MESENTERY

_Cholera._—Congestion of blood vessels of mesentery often seen.

_Tuberculosis._—The mesentery may be studded with nodules.

SPLEEN

_Tuberculosis._—A greatly enlarged spleen.

_Enteritis._—(Bacterial.) Spleen enlarged but paler in color.

URETERS

_Cholera._—Ureters distended with yellow urates.

INDEX

PAGE
Abscesses 26

Abnormal eggs (see Oviduct diseases) 77

Aconite 9

Air under skin (see Emphysema) 54

Air sac mite (see Mites, air sac) 73

Anæmia 27

Apoplexy 28

Aspergillosis 29

Atrophy of liver (see Liver diseases) 70

Bacterial enteritis (see Diarrhea) 48

Baldness (see Favus) 56

Biliary repletion (see Jaundice) 65

Blackhead of turkeys 30

Brandy 9

Breakdown 33

Broken limbs (see Fractures) 58

Bronchitis 34

Brooder pneumonia 35

Bumblefoot 36

Calomel 9

Cancer (see Liver diseases and Ovary diseases) 72, 76

Canker (see Diphtheria) 49

Carbolic acid 9

Castor oil 9

Catarrh (see Cold) 43

Catarrh, contagious (see Roup) 83

Catarrh of crop 37

Catarrh of stomach (see Gastritis) 62

Chicken pox 38

Chlorodyne 9

Cholera 39

Cloacitis 41

Coccidiosis of adult fowls 42

Coccidiosis of chickens (see Brooder pneumonia) 35

Coccidiosis of turkeys (see Blackhead) 30

Cold 43

Congestion of the liver (see Liver diseases) 70

Congestion of the Lungs (see Pneumonia) 79

Conjunctivitis (see Roup) 83

Constipation 44

Cramp 45

Creolin 9

Crop-bound 46

Crop, soft 89

Crop, catarrh of 37

Depluming mite 74

Diarrhea, bacterial 48

Diarrhea, mycotic 48

Diarrhea, protozoan 48

Diarrhea, mild 47

Diarrhea, severe 48

Diarrhea, white 47

Diphtheria 49

Diphtheritic roup 49

Disinfection 10

Dislocations (see Fractures) 58

Doses 9

Dropsy 52

Drugs 9

Ducks 20

Dysentery 52

Egg-bound 53

Egg-eating 54

Emphysema 54

Enlargement of heart (see Heart, diseases of) 64

Enlargement of liver (see Liver diseases) 70

Enlargement of kidneys (see Kidney diseases) 66

Enteritis (see Diarrhea) 46

Entero-hepatitis (see Blackhead) 30

Epilepsy 55

Epsom salts 9

Fatty degeneration 56

Favus 56

Feather-eating 57

Fits (see Epilepsy) 55

Fleas 58

Fowl typhoid 41

Fractures 58

Frost bite 59

Gangrenous ovary (see Ovary diseases) 76

Gapes 60

Gastritis 62

Geese 21

Going light (see Anæmia) 27

Gout 63

Grippe (see Cold) 43

Guinea fowls 21

Heart, diseases of 63

Heart, dropsy of 64

Heart, enlargement of 64

Heart, rupture 64

Hydrogen peroxide 9

Hypertrophy of the liver (see Liver diseases) 70

Impaction of crop (see Crop-bound) 46

Indigestion 64

Influenza (see Cold) 43

Iodine 9

Jaundice 65

Kidney diseases 65

Leg weakness 66

Leukemia (see Cholera) 39

Lice 66

Limber-neck 69

Liver diseases 70

Lungs, congestion of (see Pneumonia) 79

Maggots 72

Medicines 9

Mites, air sac 73

Mites, depluming 74

Mites, red 75

Mites, scaly leg (see Scaly leg) 88

Molting 75

Nodular tæniasis (see Worms) 97

Nursing fowls 5

Ointment 9

Ovary diseases 76

Oviduct diseases 77

Peritonitis 77

Permanganate of potash 9

Pigeons 21

Pip 79

Pneumonia 79

Poisoning 80

Post-mortem examination 99

Prolapse of oviduct (see Oviduct diseases) 77

Puffed skin (see Emphysema) 54

Pyæmia 82

Quinine 9

Rheumatism 83

Roup 83

Scabies (see Mites, depluming) 74

Scaly leg 88

Soft crop 89

Sore head (see Chicken pox) 38

Sulphur ointment 9

Ticks 90

Tuberculosis 90

Turkeys 20

Turpentine 9

Vertigo (see Apoplexy) 28

Water 11

White comb (see Favus) 56

White diarrhea of chickens 92

Worms 94

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