10 May, 1919.] Common Ailments of the Pig. 285 



Lesions usually diffuse inflammation in stomach and intestines, con- 

 gestion of lymphatic glands, and small haemorrhages in kidneys, serus 

 membrances, &c. Typical lesions in cases two or three days old are 

 ulcers about the size of a threepenny or sixpenny piece, some larger, 

 Avith deep centres, situated at the junction of the small intestine with 

 the larger. 



Frequently mucus membranes have adhered to them a whitish or 

 yellowish material similar to that found in diphtheria in the human 

 patient. Ulcers in the early stages stand out, but later slough off and 

 show a depressed ulcer. 



The disease may assume the form of pneumonia and pleurisy. 



The so-called swine fever bacillus are the cause of the typical ulcers, 

 and can be produced by pure cultures, but the ultra visible virus, which 

 is the true cause of the disease, does not produce these lesions, which are a 

 guide towards diagnosis. 



The so-called swine fever bacillus is a common, if not constant, 

 inhabitant of pigs' intestines. Pneumonia used to be designated swine 

 plague or contagious pneumonia, and Avas erroneously considered a 

 separate disease. 



There is no knoAvn cure for swine fever. As a preventive, inocula- 

 tion with serum has been carried out in some countries with m.ore or 

 less success. By the exercise of care and keeping newly-purchased pigs 

 in separate enclosures, the risk of introducing the disease can be reduced 

 to a minimum. Cleanliness should be the wa'tehword for those who wish 

 to keep their pigs free from this dread disease. 



Tuberculosis. 



One of the most serious complaints that affect pigs in this country 

 is tuberculosis. There is no known cure for this disease, which is chiefly 

 derived from the milk of tuberculous cows. In all dairying countries 

 this is a troublesome disease, and so far has baffled the efforts of scien- 

 tists to produce either imimunity or cure, save in the earliest stages in 

 the human being. The best-known method of combating it is to eradicate 

 as far as possible the sources of infection. This is gradually being 

 effected by the operation of the Dairy Supervision Act, under which 

 all cows in milk are handled by a dairy supervisor, and those showing 

 unmistakable signs of the disease are destroyed. Fortunately the bac- 

 teriologist has discovered a serum — tuberculin — which, in the hands of a 

 qualified man, is an infallible guide as to the presence of the disease in 

 a cow. It is only a matter of time when the public will insist that all 

 dairy cows shall be tested, as is done in some of the States of America. 

 Unfortunately, the Dairy Supervision Act does not apply to the whole 

 of this State, and the result is very strikingly shown in the table given 

 on the next page. This shows that, where the Act is in operation, resulting 

 in the destruction of the detected tuberculous cows, the number of tuber- 

 culous pigs is very much lower than in those districts where there is not 

 the same effective supervision. Under the Meat Act, all pigs slaughtered 

 for human consumption must be examined by a qualified inspector 

 before being allowed to pass to the retailers. This insures that all the 

 pork or bacon retailed is free from disease. 



