22 The Bulletin 



Jl<>w and Wlioii to Use Seruin 



The Serum Alone Method only gives temporary immunity, lasting 

 from four to eight Aveeks, an average of about six weeks. It is rather ex- 

 pensive to keep a herd of hogs immuned by this method. We believe it 

 would be cheaper where a permanent herd is to be kept for breeding pur- 

 poses to use the Simultaneous or Double treatment. This would insure 

 protection at all times to the foundation of the herd. 



The owner of a herd of hogs should not delay any longer than possible 

 in securing the serum and injecting his hogs when it becomes known that 

 they have been exposed to cholera, or when it is known that cholera is 

 in his community, if there is any possibility of the infection gaining 

 entrance to his herd through any of the many channels of entrance. 



When the serum is used shortly before or very soon after the hogs are 

 exposed to cholera infection the per cent protected is often as high as a 

 hundred, but usually ranges around 95 per cent. After cholera has 

 gained entrance in a herd and a portion of the hogs are showing physical 

 or thermal symptoms of cholera, the per cent saved of the remaining 

 apparently well hogs will not be so high, but a good per cent of those 

 showing no physical or thermal symptoms will be protected. 



When a large number of hogs in a herd become sick and begin to die it 

 is pretty safe to say that they are aifected with hog cholera. Immediate 

 steps should be taken to secure the serum and inject the remaining well 

 hogs. 



To inject the serum one must have a hypodermic syringe (preferably a 

 20 or 30 cc. glass barreled one). This syringe should be sterilized by 

 being boiled in water for fifteen or twenty minutes. Before using, the 

 mouth of the serum bottle should be wiped off with a five per cent solu- 

 tion of carbolic acid and the serum then poured into the receptacle with a 

 cover. Both the receptacle and cover should have been boiled in water 

 for fifteen or twenty minutes and allowed to cool before pouring the 

 serum into it. Keep the cover on all the time except when the serum is 

 being poured into or taken from the receptacle. The hands of the person 

 injecting the serum should be washed before beginning and kept clean all 

 the time. Do not allow the syringe or needle to come in contact with 

 soiled objects. 



The serum is injected into the tissues either on tlie inside of the thigh 

 or into the loose tissues between the foreleg and body. The needle is 

 inserted perpendicularly to the depth of one-half or one inch, depending 

 upon the size of the hog. The serum is llion injected and the needle 

 withdrawn. Before the needle is inserted the skin at tlie point selected 

 should be washed with soap and water and then scrubbed with a reliable 

 disinfectant, such as a five per cent solnlinn of carbolic ju-id, lysol or 



creolin. 



ITogs in infected herds showing a temperature above 104 degrees F. are 

 considered to be affected with choler;i. The hogs showing higli tempera- 



