422 HORSE, SWINE AND POULTRY DISEASES 



counter-irritant; oil of turpentine may be applied to the walls of the 

 abdomen and covered up until the skin is quite red. The best diet 

 is well boiled, thin gruels. This should be fed until the hog is able 

 to digest the ordinary rations. (Ind. B. 100.) 



Scours. When young nursing pigs begin to scour, it is evi- 

 dent that the milk of the sow is disagreeing with them, and imme- 

 diate attention therefore should be directed towards improving her 

 rations. Most often the trouble comes from overfeeding on corn, 

 or other rich food, just after farrowing, and pigs of fat, flabby, 

 pampered, cross, nervous, constipated sows are most apt to suffer. 

 Sudden changes of food, or feeding sour or decomposed slop, or food 

 from dirty troughs or sour swill barrels, also tend to cause diarrhea 

 either in nursing pigs or those that have been weaned, and all such 

 causes should be prevented or removed. 



To correct scouring in nursing pigs, give the sow 15 to 20 

 grains sulphate of iron (copperas) in her slop night and morning, 

 and if necessary slightly increase the doses until effective. Lime 

 water may with advantage be freely mixed with the slop as a pre- 

 ventive when there is a tendency to derangement, or after the 

 trouble has been checked, and also is an excellent corrective for 

 weaned pigs showing a tendency to scour on slop or skimmed milk. 



When little pigs are scouring severely, each may with advantage 

 be given a raw egg and 5 to 10 grains of subnitrate of bismuth twice 

 daily in addition to changing the food of the sow and adding cop- 

 peras to her slop. In cases wnich do not promptly respond to treat- 

 ment success may follow the administration of a dose of castor oil 

 shaken up in milk. In all cases it is important to set right all 

 errors in diet and sanitation and to provide the pigs with dry, 

 sunny, well ventilated quarters. The derangement is always most 

 apt to occur and sure to prove disastrous among pigs kept in unsan- 

 itary conditions. (Wis. B. 184.) 



Causes. Young pigs kept in damp, dark, dirty pens are more 

 susceptible to this disease than if kept in clean pens and allowed 

 plenty of exercise, pure air and sunshine. Scours is often caused 

 within the first few days after birth by the feverish condition of the 

 mother affecting the character of the milk. Fermented foods, 

 slops, moldy corn, etc., when fed to the sow will also cause her to 

 give toxic milk. Chilly, damp weather, getting out in the wet 

 grass when young, and artificial feeding are most frequent causes. 

 Some outbreaks seem to be due to a germ. 



Symptoms. These often appear so soon after birth as to make 

 the pig appear to be born with the affection. When delayed until 

 the pig is a few days or a few weeks old, the scours are generally 

 preceded by constipation. The symptoms of the trouble are loose 

 evacuations, grayish in color, which become more and more watery 

 as the disease progresses. The young animal may show some evi- 

 dence of abdominal pain. The tail and hindparts soon become 

 soiled with the discharges. The appetite may be good at the begin- 

 ning, but is gradually lost and the pig becomes dull and weak. The 

 back is arched, hair rough, and there is an indisposition to move 



