THE MOST COMMON DISEASES OF SWINE 54I 



hogs are sluggish and disincHned to move when dis- 

 turbed, and coughing is frequently heard when they are 

 suddenly roused. They may eat very little and usually 

 lose flesh rapidly, finally becoming so emaciated and 

 weak that they stagger or walk with an uncertain gait, 

 the hind-legs particularly appearing to be very weak. 

 The eyes become inflamed and the lids may be gummed 

 together. After the flrst few days of illness there is apt 

 to be a profuse diarrhea, and in these chronic cases the 

 hog usually lingers for several weeks, sometimes months, 

 before it finally dies. It is extremely rare for such an 

 animal to recover sufficiently to be of value. 



"At the beginning of an outbreak in a herd it is a 

 difficult niatter to be sure that hog cholera is actually 

 present, for the outward symptoms are not character- 

 istic, but only such as might be expected in any acute 

 disease. The same may be said of some of the changes 

 which take place in the internal organs. It is therefore 

 necessary to consider all of the features of the disease 

 before making a positive decision concerning tlie pres- 

 ence or absence of hog cholera in a herd. 



"The important features of hog cholera are: 



"i. Contagiousness. 



"2. Symptoms of severe illness, such as fever, weak- 

 ness, loss of appetite, and diarrhea. 



"3. Hemorrhagic spots in the internal organs or but- 

 ton-like ulcers in the intestines. 



"If these characteristics are found in a disease of 

 hogs in this country, we may be reasonably certain of 

 the presence of cholera. 



"Among the few diseases which may lead to uncer- 



