164 HOG CHOLERA 



first to leave their feed. Any method of distin- 

 guishing the sick from the well is only approxi- 

 mately correct, but a herd handled in the manner 

 we have outlined will emerge from the treatment 

 permanently immune to hog cholera. On the 

 whole, this method of handling is quite satisfac- 

 tory, but it is open to the objection that we may 

 introduce a more virulent strain of virus into 

 herds already infected, and we may be accused of 

 killing animals when we have merely failed to pre- 

 vent their death. 



This method is practicable only when the owner 

 of the animals fully realizes that some apparently 

 well hogs in infected herds will die following even 

 serum alone administration, and when he is dis- 

 posed to expect like losses following serum-virus 

 treatment. Veterinarians experienced in handling 

 hog cholera dread to use virus in infected herds, 

 but we meet conditions under which it is wise to 

 do so. 



Method number three is safest, and, as with 

 method number two, the herd emerges with all 

 animals permanently immune to hog cholera. The 

 added expense is the only objection, but in many 

 instances, especially when the animals are above 

 average in value, it is more than justified. There 

 is great satisfaction to the practitioner, as well as 

 to the breeder, in knowing that nothing has been 



