HOG CHOLERA 337 



Breeding herds should be protected by the use of the 

 combination method, even if cholera is not present in the 

 vicinity, because it enables the breeder to send, without 

 danger, breeding liors into infected districts and to fairs. 



Application of the serum. The serum may be applied 

 by the farmer himself, but it' the virus is to be used, as is 

 the case in the simultaneous or combination methods, a 

 veterinarian should be employed, since the virus is dan- 

 gerous material and, if handled by those who do not ap- 

 preciate its nature, trouble may result. The animals 

 should receive a lirht laxative diet for a day or so before 

 being treated, and should be kept in clean, dry quarters. 



Small hogs are usually injected in the arm-pit. The 

 animal may he held on its back between two round fence- 

 posts joined together by cleats. Larger animals may be 

 snubbed to a post by a rope around the upper jaw, and the 

 serum injected in the fold of loose skin at the side of the 

 neck. The needle of the hypodermic syringe should be 

 thrust deep into the tissue, not simply through the skin as 

 when tuberculin is applied. If the infection of the animal 

 with organisms that will cause inflammation and abscesses 

 is to be avoided, it is necessary to see that the syringe is 

 sterilized before use, by placing 1 it in cold water and bring- 

 ing it to the boiling-point. If the syringe has leather 

 washers on the plunder, its sterili/at ion must be accom- 

 plished by the use of chemical disinfectants, since boiling 

 would destroy the leather. The skin at the point where 

 the injection is to -be made should be scrubbed with a stiff 

 brush, warm water, and soap ; then rinsed with some water 

 that has been boiled and allowed to cool. The skin is then 

 treated with a 4 per cent, solution of carbolic acid or tinc- 

 ture of iodine. Care should be exercised to keep everything 

 clean during the process. 



The doses of serum are as follows : 



