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Generalized Sarcomatosis of the Fowl
GENERALIZED SARCOMATOSIS OF THE FOWL. The records of this laboratory show that of 730 autopsies held upon hens and cocks ranging in age from twelve months to three years, 8, or a trifle over 1 per cent., were affected with generalized sarcomatosis. Round-celled sarcoma
is the most prevalent type, and roundcelled lympho-sarcoma is frequently observed. A sarcoma is a connective tissue tumor whose elements, either because of their number or often because of their size, predominate over the intercellular connective tissue, so that sarcomata may be compared with.embryonal tissue. Sarcomata develop either in previously normal tissue belonging to the connective tissue group—as, for example, in the skin, subcutaneous tissue, periosteum, spinal cord, meninges, connective tissue of glands, and other similar locations. They may also develop in some pre-existing connective tissue tumor, as in fibroma, myoma, or chondroma. The sarcoma cells may be of a small or a large round-celled variety or they may be small or large spindle celled, or a mixture of these two principal varieties. I will here only give the report of a generalized case which will serve to make clear the gross and microscopic appearance. The following description is of a Barred Plymouth Rock cock: History. A Barred Plymouth Rock cock, from a breeding pen; age, 15 months; leg band, No. 178. This bird had not been noted to be sick up to within three days before his death. During these last three days he appeared dull, ate very little, and died March 2nd, 1917. Protocol. Upon opening the abdominal cavity the liver was noted to be very much enlarged, weighing 146 grams, or four times its normal size. In the liver substance there were observed small, white nodules, the largest of which measured 8 mm. in diameter. The sectioned surface of the liver was soft and the new growths were not encapsulated. The proventriculus contained two nodules 10 mm. in diameter. Several small nodules were observed in the mesentery. One nodule was noted iu the Pectoralis secundus muscle; this nodule measured 2x3x13 mm. Several nodules were also observed in the heart muscle, the largest of which was 20 mm. in diameter. One small nodule was located in the spleen which measured 4 mm. in diameter. There were two small tumors located in the upper edge of the obturator internus muscle, one measuring 5 mm. and the other measuring 10 mm. in diameter. On»- nodule was observed in the first limb of the duodenal loop; this nodule measured 2 mm. in diameter. One nodule was located In the left thoracic wall, which nodule measured 2 0 x 1 0 mm. There were two new growths involving the kidneys, one measuring 15 mm. in diameter, and the other 20 mm. in diameter. Microscopic Study. Sections of the heart and liver were prepared and studied. The tumors were found to be made 14
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of these being purchased from other breeders, not raised on the farm. Thirty-two farms produce infertile eggs during the summer months, usually by selling off all males except spring hatched cockerels. . Seventy-seven farms make an attempt to cull the hens each fall. No definite method has been used to select high producers. Old, fat hens are usually sold, but often not until spring. Marketing: With almost no exceptions eggs are gathered daily, stored in a fairly satisfactory way, and marketed about once a week. The hucksters and grocery stores divide the egg trade between them. Only 8* farms sell to private customers, except for sale of a few hatching eggs in spring. Hens are culled and sold either late in fall, or in spring when prices are high. Thirty-nine farms sell hens in the spring, 49 sell in the fall, and 8 report selling at both seasons. Only a few farms sell off the cockerels as broilers in the spring. Most farms keep them for eating during the summer, selling the surplus in fall and winter. General: 23 farms keep fairly detailed poultry records. 7 farms take a poultry journal. 96 farms take one or more farm papers. 37 farms get Purdue poultry bulletins. Conclusions: Many, perhaps most, of the above farms are making their poultry pay in spite of conditions. It is evident that they have much better chickens than poultry equipment. Hence for increased war time pQultry production a large increase in mere number of hens kept or chicks hatched is physically impossible until more equipment is added, which increase in equipment is not likely under present high prices. Increased production, then, must be by preventing losses, and by better feeding, care and management with equipment already on hand. A direct result of the surveys is that such betterment is rapidly being made, for a spirit of cooperation to im-. prove was evidenced by all farms surveyed. LEROY L. JONES. Purdue University, Lafayette, Ind.
Leg of a hen showing a sarcoma of the tibia.
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Pig. 2. Small round celled sarcoma of a hen. 1, sarcoma ol the liver 2, of the gizzard; 3, ot the kidney; 4, of the intestine; f>, of the oviduct; 6, of the rectum; 7, of the spleen.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Carleton University on May 11, 2015
Fig. 1.
Fig. 4. Photomicrograph of a section of the heart muscle of Fig. 3. 1, the heart muscle; 2, the small round cells infiltrating the muscle fibers.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Carleton University on May 11, 2015
Fig. 3. Generalized sarcoma of a Barred Plymouth Rock cock. 1, sarcoma of the heart; 2, of the spleen; 3, of the pectoralis seeunus; 4, of the inner surface of the ribs; 5, of the duodenum; 6, of the liver; 7, of the gizzard; 8, of the inner surface of the pelvis.
up of small round cells of embryonic type. In the muscle of the heart they were invading the heart muscle and showed no tendency to be encapsulated. The same holds true of the liver tissue. The diagnosis is that of a round celled-sarcoma. B. F. KAUPP, Poultry Pathologist, N. C. Experiment Station. THE NEW ENGLAND POULTRY PRODUCERS* EXCHANGE.
As one can readily see by glancing over the constitution, this is not an educational organization but purely a business one. Following are the aims as laid down in the by-laws: 1. To conserve and promote the
15
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Carleton University on May 11, 2015
Most of you well know that New England lies outside the grain and feed producing sections of the country and that we were very hard hit at the beginning of the war when prices of feeds jumped so sharply and those of poultry and eggs remained comparatively low so when many of our poultrymen decided to go out of business, it was due to economic causes rather than imaginary or psychological ones. Many of them sold their flocks outright and others reduced theirs materially. This had a psychological effect, of course, upon those who still stood by their guns, and paved the way for further discouragements. As prices of feeds continued to increase or held at a high level and prices of eggs and poultry remained low, there was very little encouragement in sight and when Rule 14 was promulgated the effect upon our poultrymen was really tremendous as they felt that the government was not only indifferent toward poultry production but were really discouraging it. During the late fall and winter there was a general feeling that the poultry business of New England was going to the dogs and the numbers of letters written to the Department along this line and to officials were too numerous to mention. Finally, in the month of February, it was suggested by some of the poultrymen that a meeting be called in Boston to "save the industry". This became the slogan and a call was sent out early in March and on the 21st of that month a meeting was held in Boston attended by most of the prominent poultrymen of the State and a spirit of earnestness and enthusiasm prevailed . As soon as called to order, the suggestion was made that a New England Association be organized and as there was practically no objection, a committee was appointed to draft bylaws and report at a subsequent meeting. This was done and on May 16th, about 280 poultrymen met in the State House, Boston, Mass., and adopted the constitution, elected officers and set the wheels of the New England Poultry Producer's "Exchange in motion.
poultry interests of New England. 2. To encourage, introduce and apply improved business methods in poultry culture and to promote co-operation with State, County and local organizations in New England which are engaged in the work of developing poultry producers' interests, especially those concerned in co-operative buying or manufacturing of supplies and in the distribution of products. 3. To furnish adequate and reliable information regarding the industry, to enable them to act intelligently and safeguard their interests. 4. To secure efficient, economical and uniform methods in grading, packing, transporting, marketing and advertising of poultry and poultry products. 5. To rent, buy, build, own, sell and control such buildings and other real and personal property as may be needed in the conduct of its operations. 6. To protest against rules and regulations detrimental to our interests, and to suggest from time to time rules to regulate abusive practices in handling supplies necessary in our business. 7. To affiliate with the Eastern States Farmers' Exchange in the purchase of its supplies and marketing of its products and to avail itself of the facilities of the Eastern States Farmers' Exchange and participate in its management through such representation as may be authorized by the Executive Committee of the New England Poultry Producers' Exchange and by the Executive Committee of the Eastern States Farmers' Exchange. 8. To do business at cost for the benefit of its members. 9. To do any and all things necessary or convenient in promoting the interests of the members of the corporation. Nature of the organization. The Exchange is governed by a Board of Directors and Executive Committee as is the usual custom for such organizations. Membership is limited to commercial poultry producers. The membership fee is $5, payable in advance and the annual dtfes are l c per head of mature stock on count taken the January 1st preceding the Annual Meeting with a minimum of $1. In order to secure working capital, each member is required to give his note for $10 to be used as collateral in case of necessity, the same to be returned to him on withdrawal providing he is in good standing. The Exchange has control of the sales of poultry and poultry products of its members unless they give notice in writing to the Exchange between January 1st and 15th of each year that they withdraw a whole or specific portion from control of the Exchange. This provision was made in order that the Exchange may know the volume of business to provide for.. The Exchange is apparently well organized and important committees are appointed who have their work well under way.
is the most prevalent type, and roundcelled lympho-sarcoma is frequently observed. A sarcoma is a connective tissue tumor whose elements, either because of their number or often because of their size, predominate over the intercellular connective tissue, so that sarcomata may be compared with.embryonal tissue. Sarcomata develop either in previously normal tissue belonging to the connective tissue group—as, for example, in the skin, subcutaneous tissue, periosteum, spinal cord, meninges, connective tissue of glands, and other similar locations. They may also develop in some pre-existing connective tissue tumor, as in fibroma, myoma, or chondroma. The sarcoma cells may be of a small or a large round-celled variety or they may be small or large spindle celled, or a mixture of these two principal varieties. I will here only give the report of a generalized case which will serve to make clear the gross and microscopic appearance. The following description is of a Barred Plymouth Rock cock: History. A Barred Plymouth Rock cock, from a breeding pen; age, 15 months; leg band, No. 178. This bird had not been noted to be sick up to within three days before his death. During these last three days he appeared dull, ate very little, and died March 2nd, 1917. Protocol. Upon opening the abdominal cavity the liver was noted to be very much enlarged, weighing 146 grams, or four times its normal size. In the liver substance there were observed small, white nodules, the largest of which measured 8 mm. in diameter. The sectioned surface of the liver was soft and the new growths were not encapsulated. The proventriculus contained two nodules 10 mm. in diameter. Several small nodules were observed in the mesentery. One nodule was noted iu the Pectoralis secundus muscle; this nodule measured 2x3x13 mm. Several nodules were also observed in the heart muscle, the largest of which was 20 mm. in diameter. One small nodule was located in the spleen which measured 4 mm. in diameter. There were two small tumors located in the upper edge of the obturator internus muscle, one measuring 5 mm. and the other measuring 10 mm. in diameter. On»- nodule was observed in the first limb of the duodenal loop; this nodule measured 2 mm. in diameter. One nodule was located In the left thoracic wall, which nodule measured 2 0 x 1 0 mm. There were two new growths involving the kidneys, one measuring 15 mm. in diameter, and the other 20 mm. in diameter. Microscopic Study. Sections of the heart and liver were prepared and studied. The tumors were found to be made 14
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Carleton University on May 11, 2015
of these being purchased from other breeders, not raised on the farm. Thirty-two farms produce infertile eggs during the summer months, usually by selling off all males except spring hatched cockerels. . Seventy-seven farms make an attempt to cull the hens each fall. No definite method has been used to select high producers. Old, fat hens are usually sold, but often not until spring. Marketing: With almost no exceptions eggs are gathered daily, stored in a fairly satisfactory way, and marketed about once a week. The hucksters and grocery stores divide the egg trade between them. Only 8* farms sell to private customers, except for sale of a few hatching eggs in spring. Hens are culled and sold either late in fall, or in spring when prices are high. Thirty-nine farms sell hens in the spring, 49 sell in the fall, and 8 report selling at both seasons. Only a few farms sell off the cockerels as broilers in the spring. Most farms keep them for eating during the summer, selling the surplus in fall and winter. General: 23 farms keep fairly detailed poultry records. 7 farms take a poultry journal. 96 farms take one or more farm papers. 37 farms get Purdue poultry bulletins. Conclusions: Many, perhaps most, of the above farms are making their poultry pay in spite of conditions. It is evident that they have much better chickens than poultry equipment. Hence for increased war time pQultry production a large increase in mere number of hens kept or chicks hatched is physically impossible until more equipment is added, which increase in equipment is not likely under present high prices. Increased production, then, must be by preventing losses, and by better feeding, care and management with equipment already on hand. A direct result of the surveys is that such betterment is rapidly being made, for a spirit of cooperation to im-. prove was evidenced by all farms surveyed. LEROY L. JONES. Purdue University, Lafayette, Ind.
Leg of a hen showing a sarcoma of the tibia.
<* i k ' A
1
B* I
s
^tm i»ur ^.4^'/^
WLI rWfetf km J | -'5**r «w
—a
•? Fj^^ft THP ,V
Pig. 2. Small round celled sarcoma of a hen. 1, sarcoma ol the liver 2, of the gizzard; 3, ot the kidney; 4, of the intestine; f>, of the oviduct; 6, of the rectum; 7, of the spleen.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Carleton University on May 11, 2015
Fig. 1.
Fig. 4. Photomicrograph of a section of the heart muscle of Fig. 3. 1, the heart muscle; 2, the small round cells infiltrating the muscle fibers.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Carleton University on May 11, 2015
Fig. 3. Generalized sarcoma of a Barred Plymouth Rock cock. 1, sarcoma of the heart; 2, of the spleen; 3, of the pectoralis seeunus; 4, of the inner surface of the ribs; 5, of the duodenum; 6, of the liver; 7, of the gizzard; 8, of the inner surface of the pelvis.
up of small round cells of embryonic type. In the muscle of the heart they were invading the heart muscle and showed no tendency to be encapsulated. The same holds true of the liver tissue. The diagnosis is that of a round celled-sarcoma. B. F. KAUPP, Poultry Pathologist, N. C. Experiment Station. THE NEW ENGLAND POULTRY PRODUCERS* EXCHANGE.
As one can readily see by glancing over the constitution, this is not an educational organization but purely a business one. Following are the aims as laid down in the by-laws: 1. To conserve and promote the
15
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at Carleton University on May 11, 2015
Most of you well know that New England lies outside the grain and feed producing sections of the country and that we were very hard hit at the beginning of the war when prices of feeds jumped so sharply and those of poultry and eggs remained comparatively low so when many of our poultrymen decided to go out of business, it was due to economic causes rather than imaginary or psychological ones. Many of them sold their flocks outright and others reduced theirs materially. This had a psychological effect, of course, upon those who still stood by their guns, and paved the way for further discouragements. As prices of feeds continued to increase or held at a high level and prices of eggs and poultry remained low, there was very little encouragement in sight and when Rule 14 was promulgated the effect upon our poultrymen was really tremendous as they felt that the government was not only indifferent toward poultry production but were really discouraging it. During the late fall and winter there was a general feeling that the poultry business of New England was going to the dogs and the numbers of letters written to the Department along this line and to officials were too numerous to mention. Finally, in the month of February, it was suggested by some of the poultrymen that a meeting be called in Boston to "save the industry". This became the slogan and a call was sent out early in March and on the 21st of that month a meeting was held in Boston attended by most of the prominent poultrymen of the State and a spirit of earnestness and enthusiasm prevailed . As soon as called to order, the suggestion was made that a New England Association be organized and as there was practically no objection, a committee was appointed to draft bylaws and report at a subsequent meeting. This was done and on May 16th, about 280 poultrymen met in the State House, Boston, Mass., and adopted the constitution, elected officers and set the wheels of the New England Poultry Producer's "Exchange in motion.
poultry interests of New England. 2. To encourage, introduce and apply improved business methods in poultry culture and to promote co-operation with State, County and local organizations in New England which are engaged in the work of developing poultry producers' interests, especially those concerned in co-operative buying or manufacturing of supplies and in the distribution of products. 3. To furnish adequate and reliable information regarding the industry, to enable them to act intelligently and safeguard their interests. 4. To secure efficient, economical and uniform methods in grading, packing, transporting, marketing and advertising of poultry and poultry products. 5. To rent, buy, build, own, sell and control such buildings and other real and personal property as may be needed in the conduct of its operations. 6. To protest against rules and regulations detrimental to our interests, and to suggest from time to time rules to regulate abusive practices in handling supplies necessary in our business. 7. To affiliate with the Eastern States Farmers' Exchange in the purchase of its supplies and marketing of its products and to avail itself of the facilities of the Eastern States Farmers' Exchange and participate in its management through such representation as may be authorized by the Executive Committee of the New England Poultry Producers' Exchange and by the Executive Committee of the Eastern States Farmers' Exchange. 8. To do business at cost for the benefit of its members. 9. To do any and all things necessary or convenient in promoting the interests of the members of the corporation. Nature of the organization. The Exchange is governed by a Board of Directors and Executive Committee as is the usual custom for such organizations. Membership is limited to commercial poultry producers. The membership fee is $5, payable in advance and the annual dtfes are l c per head of mature stock on count taken the January 1st preceding the Annual Meeting with a minimum of $1. In order to secure working capital, each member is required to give his note for $10 to be used as collateral in case of necessity, the same to be returned to him on withdrawal providing he is in good standing. The Exchange has control of the sales of poultry and poultry products of its members unless they give notice in writing to the Exchange between January 1st and 15th of each year that they withdraw a whole or specific portion from control of the Exchange. This provision was made in order that the Exchange may know the volume of business to provide for.. The Exchange is apparently well organized and important committees are appointed who have their work well under way.