NOTE ON OSTEITIS DEFORMANS IN TWO FOWLS         109

SUBJECTS. In the month of August 1934, a condition quite analogous to the
one described by Kaupp [1933] under "Osteitis deformans" was met with in
two adult leghorn fowls. Both the fowls developed a striking enlargement of
the legs which attracted the attention of the owner. The fowls, a cock and a
hen, were brought to the Veterinary College Hospital for observation and treat-
ment. (Plates II & III, Fig. 1).

SYMPTOMES. In both the fowls, the lesions appeared to be one of Osteitis
affecting the long bones, viz.—the tibia and the metatarsus. Enlargement and
diffuse thickening of the bones were felt on manipulation. A skiagram of the
limbs of these birds was taken for study and it revealed a condition of sclerosis.
(Plate II, Figs. 2 & 3 and Plate III, Fig. 2.)

The cock showed more prominent lesions than the hen. Both the fowls
appeared dull and inactive. They were drowsy and not feeding properly. The
cock was passing yellowish white stools. The temperature of the hen ranged
from 106° to 109° F.

CLINICAL OBSERVATION AND TREATMENT. Dark ground illumination of the
blood from the two fowls revealed spirochaetes and they were noticed to be in
larger numbers in the cock. This finding of spirochaetes associated with such
unusual lesions in the fowls suggested the possibility of a condition simulating
gummatous osteitis, caused by syphilis in man, by an analogous organism. But
such a condition in fowls, as far as can be ascertained from the literature on spiro-
chaetosis, has not been recorded. Spirochaetes usually cause an acute infection
and rapid termination, hence it is obvious that they may have not been the cause
of such lesions as are described in this paper. The fowls were treated with soamin
for spirochaetosis. The hen was destroyed after 27 days and during this period,
the thickness of the legs was found to have slightly increased.

AUTOPSY. Post mortem examination was held on both the fowls. The
cock was emaciated and revealed a considerable enlargement and hardness of
both the tibia and metatarsal bones. To see the extent of damage, one of the
bones was sawn through longitudinally and it showed dense compact tissue almost
ivory like, filling the medullary canal. (Plate III, Fig. 3-a, longitudinal section.)
Fatty changes were noticed in the liver. Smears from the heart blood revealed
spirochaetes.

The hen, on post mortem examination, also presented an anaemic and
emaciated appearance.

The bones, tibia and metatarsus, on longitudinal section, showed deposition
of campact tissue, but to a lesser degree. The remains of the cancellated tissue
could be seen partially in the metatarsus. (Plate III, Fig. 3-b.) A similar section
of metatarsus from a normal fowl is placed for comparison in the photograph
appended. (Plate III, Fig. 3-c.) No pathogenic organisms were present in the
smears from the bone marrow,