510 HORSE, SWINE AND POULTRY DISEASES 



course of the disease being very much like cholera and are fre- 

 quently confused with this disease. 



Symptoms. These are diarrhea, vomiting, fever, lameness, 

 partial paralysis, nervous disturbance and death. The course of 

 the disease is from a few hours to several days, apparently depend- 

 ing on the amount of alkali ingested at one time. Death occurs 

 in the majority of cases. 



Lesions. Upon post mortem examination, the lymphatic glands 

 along the bowel are found swollen and dark colored. The mucous 

 membrane lining the intestines is pale and shiny. Other internal 

 organs are also involved. 



Treatment. The treatment is wholly preventive and consists 

 in avoiding the feeding of slops containing these alkalies. (Ind. 

 B. 100.) 



The greatest amount of loss sustained from swine diseases in 

 New York State is among hogs fed upon the swill collected from 

 hotels, boarding houses, and other large institutions. The cause 

 of death in certain outbreaks of disease among swill-fed hogs is the 

 direct poisoning of the animal by the excess of free alkali (wash- 

 ing soda) in the swill. These alkalies come from the powdered 

 soaps used in washing dishes. It appears that small quantities of 

 the powdered soaps do not produce immediate bad results. It is 

 presumable that they can be used in quantities sufficient for the 

 needs of cleanliness with perfect safety, but owing to the danger in- 

 volved in their use it is safer not to give the w r ater containing them 

 to animals. In addition to the unwholesomeness of garbage and 

 kitchen slops for animal food, and in addition to the losses sus- 

 tained from the immediate effect of such kinds of food, hogs fed 

 upon it are very liable to contract specific infectious diseases such 

 as hog cholera, swine plague and tuberculosis. The enormous 

 amount of loss among garbage fed hogs, which in this state alone 

 aggregates thousands of dollars annually, suggests the desirability 

 of urging the discontinuing of the practice of collecting swill for 

 such purposes. Certainly if the refuse material is to be used for 

 feeding swine it should be collected and fed while fresh and sweet. 

 When possible, it should be kept dry, and by all means free from 

 alkaline dish water. It is advisable to cook all kitchen or table 

 refuse before feeding in order to remove the danger of infection 

 from specific diseases. The only suitable channel for the disposal 

 of dish water is the sewer. (Nl Y. Cornell B. 141.) 



POISONING BY COTTON SEED. 



Fatal results follow the feeding of cotton seed, whether given 

 ground, roasted, raw, boiled or as droppings from cattle. Poison- 

 ing, however, is not always observed in hogs following cattle fed on 

 this food stuff. The cause of the trouble has not been discovered, 

 all attempts at getting an active extract from the seed having proven 

 unsuccessful. 



Symptoms. The evil effects are not noticed until several weeks 

 after using it as a food. In cases that have been observed through- 

 out the whole course, there is first, dullness, staggering gait, labored 



