150 HOG CHOLERA 



about ten days, are carried out. The field man 

 who represents a laboratory which sells question- 

 able serum, and who pronounces such " breaks" 

 "hemorrhagic septicemia" on information ob- 

 tained from a few autopsies or a brief bacterio- 

 logical examination, must, in mercy, be called 

 ignorant, or else his honesty must be questioned. 

 Most "breaks" can be prevented, but some cannot. 

 Let us prevent those we can, and call the others 

 hog cholera. That is what they are. 



Under conditions existing in the United States 

 during the last decade simultaneous treatment has 

 been a great boon to the swine industry; it has 

 saved hogs worth millions of dollars ; it has made 

 it possible for any breeder who will, to banish fear 

 that hog cholera will destroy his herd. But in 

 spite of these facts it is not perfect in its opera- 

 tion; it is sometimes instrumental in spreading 

 the disease it is intended to check ; it involves some 

 dangers. These are best avoided when their 

 causes are fully understood ; best combated when 

 they are frankly admitted to exist. 



Forewarned is forearmed. Any veterinarian 

 who contemplates using simultaneous treatment 

 in a client's herd should tell him that it involves 

 a little danger; that the herd must be carefully 

 handled for about three weeks; that if a " break" 

 should occur it must be reported promptly, and 

 that under no circumstances are susceptible hogs 



