710 INFECTIOUS DISEASES. 



precaution is taken, there is always a risk of introducing a tuber- 

 culous subject, thus nullifying all the precautions previously taken. 



The problem is therefore still very complex, and the system can 

 only give good results when rigorously observed and followed out. 



As, however, in spite of all precautions, animals regarded as 

 healthy are always, under normal conditions of existence, more or 

 less exposed to accidental infection, it is desirable to subject the 

 entire herd to the tuberculin test annually. This would cause the 

 immediate detection of any animals with latent infection, so that 

 they could be removed from the herd. 



These w^ise precautions might, if understood and observed, 

 eliminate the disease from the country, but they depend on indi- 

 vidual initiative, and have not as yet been grasped by the mass of 

 small breeders, farmers, etc. This class only see the difficulties in 

 the way of realising the idea, without appreciating the constant 

 benefit which they would derive from it. 



SWINE FEVER-VERRUCOUS ENDOCARDITIS AND PNEUMONIA 



OF THE PIG. 



Although it is not contemplated in this work to deal with those 

 disorders which, on account of their highly contagious or infectious 

 character, can only be dealt with by legislative action and by pro- 

 cesses of "stamping-out," it 'may be permissible to make certain 

 exceptions. While we have made no reference to contagious pleuro- 

 pneumonia of cattle, foot-and-mouth disease, rinderpest, anthrax and 

 black-quarter we have devoted some space to Texas fever and tuber- 

 culosis, and give herewith a summary of the present state of know- 

 ledge regarding swine fever or hog cholera and a haemorrhagic sep- 

 ticaemia of cattle known under various names in different countries 

 and of very wide distribution. 



SWINE FEVEE.* 



Swine fever may assume two distinct forms, viz., the acute and 

 fatal and the non-acute or slowly progressive. 



Symptoms. In the acute form all those symptoms which are indi- 

 cative of a severe febrile affection are present. The animals are 

 disinclined to feed ; they present evidence of great prostration and lie 

 about their dwellings in a listless manner sheltering themselves from 

 cold ; their skins are hot, their eyes partially closed, and they are 

 obviously suffering from some severe constitutional disturbance. Within 



* Report of the Departmental Committee re Swine Fever. (Annual Report of 

 Board of Agriculture, 1896.) 



