DISEASE AMONG SWINE AND OTHER DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 79 



tlie disease terminates favorably in the early stage and before the extensive alterations 

 of the lunjis have taken place, yet these organs rarely regain their i)erfect function, 

 part of their tissue ever after remaining impervious to air, while adhesions more or 

 less extensive jtermanently exist between tlie lungs ami the wails of tlie chest. The 

 (iough usually remains for a long period of time, being due to the alteration of lung- 

 1 issues. Death, as a rule, takes place in the second stage of the disease, and is due to 

 the encroachment of tlie exudate upon the respiratory surface of the longs, to auai- 

 mia, to gangrene of the lung-substance, or to a fatal diarrhea. 



The percentflge of deaths which occur in the early part of an outbreak generally 

 reaches from 60 to i)0 percent, of those infected, while later on, when the force of the 

 infecting vims seems to have expended itself, the mortality may fall to I.*} or 20 per 

 cent. But this is not all the loss to which the infected district is subjected. The ani- 

 mals that recover are of little or no value for weeks and months, the secretion of milk 

 does not return for a long time, and it is almost impossible to prepare them for market, 

 for they do not thrive. Besides this, unless the subject of disinfection is understood, 

 and its necessity thoroughly appreciated, all new animals are liable to take the disease 

 and thus pcriieruate indeiiuitely this dreadful scourge. 



The intimate pathological anatomy of this disease, and the microscopical appearances 

 of the involved tissue, can hardly be of value to the public, or to others than those 

 thoroughly ac(iuainted with histology, so that unless the department desires especially 

 to have such, I will refrain from occupying your time with what can hardly prove of 

 interest. I will therefore call your attention to the means of diagnosing this disease. 

 The cough is peculiar, and to those acquainted with the disease would be almost suffi- 

 cient evidence of the presence of the contagious form of pleura-pueuraonia. The ther- 

 mometer is of the utmost value in detecting the disease early. A physical examina- 

 tion of the chest, the temperature, character of pulse and cough, will always be sutid- 

 cient to diagnosticate the presence of pleura-pneumonia. That it is contagious will be 

 seen by the incubative stage, by the insidiousuessof its course, aud from the fact that 

 it has iio connection whatever with the causes which produce the ordinary form of this 

 disease, that is, with climate, exposure, change of weather, food, &c. Also from the 

 fact that it spreads by contact, aud is very fatal. Lastly, some animals are not suscept- 

 ible to the disease, about 15 per cent, escapiug infection even when subjected to the 

 influence of the contagion. The infecting principle of this disease is no doubt both 

 fixed aud volatile, for it is found in the blood, excretions, secretions, exudated lymph, 

 and in the expired airs. The vitality of the virus is great, lasting sometimes for sev- 

 eral months. It may be carried by the air a distance of at least three hundred feet, 

 while by means of diseased meat, atfected clothing, hay , straw, cars and steamboats, it 

 may be carried to long distances. 



Mr. E. B. DuNLAP, Boligee, Greene County, Alabama, says : 



We are tronbled in this section with two diseases among farm animals, both of which 

 are very fatal. One is known as hog-cholera and the other as the "negro disease." It 

 is hard to tell which is the most fatal to this animal. Remedies do not amount to 

 much, and preventives will be found the most profitable and economical. I believe 

 hog-cholera can be cured after the hog gets sick, but it is too tedious to have to drench 

 them. I have cured a few cases by drenching them with the following prescription: 

 One gill linseed-oil and one tablespoonful of spirits of turpentine. I generally keep 

 a trough under shelter in which 1 keep about one bushel of hickory-wood ashes, one 

 pound of sitlphur, one-fourth pound of assafetida, one bushel of well-beaten charcoal, 

 and a sufficient quantity of salt to make them relish it. This will not only keep off 

 the lice, but will also keep the bowels in a healthy condition. Lice are the forerun- 

 ners of cholera. They irritate the skin of the hog, weaken it, aud render it liable to 

 the attacks of this disease. 



Morris Crohn, Y. S., Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania, says : 



Since my residence here I have not observed any epidemic proper, though the splenic 

 fever has been raging quite violently amoug the cows for the past month or so. Thus 

 far it has been only local ; and it is very extraordinary tliat, in view of the lamentable 

 lack in this country of pro^jcr provision against the spreading of disease, the splenic 

 fever has confined itself to one locality. 



Splenic fever is due to the decomposition of blood ; and, as the spleen contains a 

 greater percentage of blood than any other organ of the body, it is most severely 

 affected and is tf)tally destroyed if the disease be not arrested. Besides this, the kitl- 

 neys, and sometimes the bladder, will suffer from sympathetic affection, a bilious condi- 

 tion being indicated by the eye. I think that splenic fever has its origin in one locality, 

 caused by dry pasturage, stagnant water, filthy stables, miasmatic air, and gaseous 

 exhalations of the earth ; and its spreading is due to the disease-nnitter in the air and 

 imme<liate contact with infected animals. In every contagious disease there is a vital 



