282 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 May, 1919. 



Pneumonia. 



This is a disease in wliicli the tissue of tlis lungs is the seat of an 

 in"flaniniatioiu 



The disease may be due to a variety of causes, but is generally due 

 to a chill after having been overheated. Pat pigs are more liable 

 to it than lean. Overcrowding, during which they become heated, after- 

 wards siibjected to cold rainy weather, is a common cause of pneumonia. 

 Lying on rotting fermenting bedding is another very frequent cause, 

 also lying under the bottoms of straw stacks, particularly in winter, 

 pneumonia probably following on a chill Avhen the pigs leave their hot 

 bed, but it is also partly due to their inhaling ammonia which is being 

 given off, as the inhalation of irritant gases will produce pneumonia. 

 Draughty styes, due 1o crevices in the walls, should be carefully avoided. 

 The styes should be well ventilated, but free from draughts. Over- 

 driving fat pigs is a frequent cause, and unskilful drenching, when the 

 drench gets into the windpipe, is often responsible for it. Pneumonia, 

 it may be mentioned, is a phase of swine fever. 



The complaint sets in with a severe chill, the temperature rises 

 rapidly, and the animal becomes very sick. In some cases death follows 

 in a few hours, perhaps before the owner has noticed that there is any- 

 thing wrong. In other cases, that run a little longer course, there is loss 

 of appetite, marked dullness following the initial chill, and rise in tem- 

 perature. The animal stays in its bed, lying on its belly or affected 

 side. Breathing is rapid, short, and apparently painful. This condition 

 is often popularly known as heaves. A cough becomes an early symptom, 

 and is of a dry, harsh character at first, but becomes moist later, with 

 discharge often streaked with blood, from the nose. In some cases 

 there is considerable bleeding at the nose, and the lining membrane of 

 the nose and mouth is congested and dry in appearance. 



Prevention is better than cure, and if proper conditions of living 

 are provided for the animals there will not be much trouble from this 

 disease. Yet, no matter how careful one may be, the chances are that 

 pneumonia will appear occasionally. The sick pig should be placed in 

 a clean w^arm well ventilated stye, Avith plenty of sunlight if possible, and 

 covered with a rug. Its food should be of a sloppy nature, bran mashes 

 or other soft easily-digested foods being given warm, and no dry food 

 for at least two weeks after recovery. A dose of calomel and castor oil 

 should be given, and the oil repeated every second day for three or four 

 doses. Plenty of water with the chill removed should be given. 



The following mixture may be given: — Carbonate of ammonia, 

 3 grains; tincture of aconite, 4 drops; solution of acetate of ammonia, 

 30 drops. This is a dose for a })ig 100 lbs. live weight — an ordinary 

 porker — and may be given twice daily in milk or other liquid food. 



Intestinal Worms. 



frequently pigs suffer very nmch from intestinal or stomach worms-^ 

 a trouble often the cause of great loss to the pig-keeper. These para- 

 sites obtain their nourishment from the food the pig eats, and 

 when present in large numbers starve the animal. To compensate for 

 this double demand, a much larger amount of food is consumed. In 

 spite. of this increased supply of food, the animal loses flesh, becomes 



