518 HORSE, SWINE AND POULTRY DISEASES 



eases that the animal is heir to. The louse has not been credited 

 with occasioning serious loss, but of late years more attention has 

 been given to this little insect by the Department of Animal Path- 

 ology. We have found that the hog louse becomes a more serious 

 enemy when hogs are out of condition. As above stated, it is a 

 bloodsucking insect. If the accompanying conditions are bad, 

 especially if the pens are excessively dusty and through the inhala- 

 tion of an excessive amount of dust there should be a slight pneu- 

 monia of the lungs, the animals badly affected with lice will be all 

 the more apt to die. 



It has also been found that where animals affected with chol- 

 era were free from lice there was a much smaller percentage of 

 loss sustained than where the herds were largely affected with lice. 

 This has been brought to the attention after examining numerous 

 herds in various parts of the state during the last five years. The 

 first rule that is now insisted upon when one visits an outbreak of 

 cholera is to examine for lice and, if present, to thoroughly de- 

 stroy these insects. The breeding pens and hog houses are also 

 thoroughly disinfected. All the bedding that is found in pens 

 and hog houses at time of disinfection is burned. The method 

 for disinfecting the hog pens and hog houses is as follows: For 

 the stables use hot water and any of the coal tar preparations, such 

 as zenoleum, chloro-naptholeum, and similar preparations. This 

 is done by making a 3 per cent solution of either of these prepara- 

 tions and using it liberally with broom and brush and also with 

 a spray pump. If you have any of the spray pumps used for 

 spraying trees they will answer the purpose admirably. 



After the stables and pens are thoroughly disinfected the 

 animals should be disinfected also. This can be done by dipping 

 them, which is a far easier method than any other. Of course it 

 necessitates a dipping tank. These dipping tanks can be bought 

 on the market very reasonably. If one is not in favor of using 

 the dipping tank, or does not feel warranted in spending the 

 amount that it would cost to purchase one, a spray pump will do 

 the work ; but in spraying hogs one should have them on a wooden 

 floor and must have quite a large and forcible pump, so that they 

 can be thoroughly saturated with the liquid. If sprayed, they 

 should also be rubbed with a broom immediately so that the fluid 

 will soak into the skin. The solution that we recommend is from 

 3 to 4 per cent for grown hogs and about 3 per cent for small pigs. 

 In our experience we have not found any harm resulting from 

 dipping very young pigs. 



Spraying and dipping for lice can be highly recommended, 

 as it is the only safe, rational thing to do if hogs are in any way 

 infested with lice; and, as stated above, there is not a breeder of 

 hogs who has not been troubled with this insect. The remedy is 

 to dip, and dip often. It aids the very best balanced ration that 

 can be given to a hog, by enabling him to thrive and assimilate 

 the food administered. Breeders who have begun to dip their hogs 

 find it very economical and a very efficient method of ridding the 



