DiriSIOy OF AyiMAL EUSBAyDRY 473 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 

 A DISEASE SIMULATING BERI-BERI IN PIGS FED ON RICE-MEAL. 



Seymour Hadiven, D.V.Sci., 



Veterinary Research Laboratory^ 

 Experimental Farm, 

 Agassiz, B.C. 



During the course of the experiment, which ^fr. MooTe describes above, I was 

 requested by him to undertake the pathological study of a disease in pigs produced by 

 the feeding of rice-meal. This was sanctioned by Dr. F. Torrance, Veterinary Director 

 General, and by Mr. J. 11. Grisdale, Director of Experimental Farms, and the results 

 of the work are here briefly given. The conditions of housing, feeding, wat'ering, etc., 

 are fully described in Mr. Moore's report, and I need concern myself only with the 

 strictly pathological side of the question. 



First, it seems necessary to say a word about the general health of the animals 

 used in the feeding experiment. The stock came from perfectly healthy sires and 

 dams. In addition, no disease of a contagious nature has appeared on the Farm since 

 this laboratory was established, a period of three years. Breeding is carried on 

 extensively here, and pigs are shipped to all parts of the province. No complaints on 

 the score of ill-health have been received from any of the purchasers, a proof of- the 

 soundness of the stock. This proof is very necessary, since the disease I am about to 

 describe might be mistaken for other affections. I was struck at first with the resem- 

 blance of the symptoms to those described for beri-beri in human beings, and all the 

 evidence which has since come out strengthens this theory. I leave the reader to judge 

 for himself the facts which have been gathered. 



SYMPTOMS. 



Mr. Moore had mentioned on several occasions that rice-meal was not a profitable 

 food, and that his pigs were actually showing ill effects from its use. The first case I 

 was called to examine was a young pig which the herdsman had just been weighing. 

 In backing out of its crate it seemed to stumble or take a cramp. At least this was 

 what the man in charge thought it was. He had been rubbing its leg to take the 

 stiffness out, which seemed to cause it exquisite pain, as its squeals could be heard all 

 over the Farm. At first it looked as though it might be a case of articular rheumatism, 

 but later several more pigs s-howed similar symptoms. Most of these appeared suddenly, 

 but a few were gradual in developing. They could be described as very painful lame- 

 nesses occurring almost invariably in the hind-legs. The pigs resented any attempt to 

 handle them, an unusual occurrence in gentle pigs, which previously allowed one to 

 do so with evident pleasure. 



These painful lamenesses, together with a wild-staring expression are the first 

 signs. Later a growing unthriftiness is noted. The animals lie buried in the straw 

 and, after a time, are scarcely able to hobble to their trough. The skin and hair 

 assumes a dirty colour. At first it was thought that this wa« simply a result of their 

 Ivinc ?o continuously, but this is not the case, because when a change of food is made 

 the skin clears up rapidly. Emaciation appears in about two months and in some cases 

 is very marked. In a few instances, though the pigs have not grown, they have not 

 become actually thin. In some of the pigs heart-attacks have been quite common. 

 They usually followed some slight exertion, such as walking over to the trough. The 

 affected animal would give a cough or two and begin to breathe very heavily; its eyes 

 would start out of its head and then it seemed to lose its breath; facial respiration 

 continued. Then it would stiffen all its limbs and look as though it were going to 

 die. After a time breathing would begin again. Some of the pigs have heart-attacks 

 of this sort two or three times a day. 



Agassiz. . 



