Show tests demonstrate that Is transmissible proof that disease is transmissible from infected hens to normal hens or pullets has been obtained in an experiment conducted by the united states department of A agriculture 9 ri culture pullets free from disease were allowed to mingle for seven months with hens infected with the disease as shown by reaction to the agglutination test the two groups were then separated led and mated to nonreactor cockerels cockerell cocker els during the following two months the hens were trap nested and their eggs saved for hatching bacteriological examinations ami nations of the dead embryos the baby chicks which died within two weeks after hatching and the hens showed that halt half of the exposed hens acquired the disease from those already infected similar tests confirmed the presence of the disease in the reactor group this evidence says dr hubert bunyea of the bureau of animal industry who had charge of the experiment peri ment shows that under ordinary flock conditions disease Is transmissible from reactor to normal hens without regard to the influence of the male birds this possibility has received comparatively little emphasis by poultry men and experimental evidence on the subject has been limited the result of the experiment shows the importance ot of removing from the flock all hens that react to the test it also shows the danger in introducing new birds into the flock without knowin knowing they are tree free of the disease |