SWINE DISEASES AND THEIR CONTROL 189 



of the urine. When the disease is advanced more general 

 symptoms may become manifested, and death may result 

 from uremic poisoning. The bowels must be kept open 

 and frequent laxatives should be given. Home treatment 

 in cases of diseases affecting the excretory system are 

 generally not very satisfactory, and in most cases the 

 treatment should be given under the direction of a com- 

 petent veterinarian. 



Diseases of the locomotor organs. Diseases affecting 

 the organs of locomotion may be either due to physio- 

 logical or morphological conditions. Nearly all diseases 

 of locomotion manifest themselves by lameness. Thus 

 when lameness occurs we should at once ascertain the 

 location of the trouble and proceed to remove the cause. 

 The more common causes of lameness are rheumatism, 

 sore feet, stiff joints and weak legs. 



Rickets is a rather common disease, affecting the bones 

 of the legs in particular. It is due to an insufficiency of 

 mineral matter in the diet, and is generally easily cor- 

 rected by the addition to the diet of such minerals as 

 lime, phosphates and carbonates. Lack of exercise, 

 crowded quarters, filth and poor feeding are common 

 contributive causes. The disease may assume the form 

 of a crumbling or fracturing of the bone without due 

 cause, or it may assume the form of distortion in the 

 extremities. 



Lameness from rheumatism may result from articular 

 and muscular rheumatism. Frequently we find muscular 

 rheumatism resulting as secondary to another disease. 

 Overfeeding and exposure are two causes to which rheu- 

 matism is generally attributed, but it may come from 

 other sources, especially from diseases affecting the ex- 



