196 



DISEASES OF SWINE 



cholera but also from pneumonia. Swine are often crowded to- 

 gether in most insanitary, drafty, and overcrowded quarters. In 

 such cases the animals huddle together, becoming overheated; and 

 then, when aroused from the litter at feeding time, become chilled 

 by exposure to drafts of chilhng winter air. The result is, they 

 develop bronchitis, a cough, and finally they become so lowered 

 in resistance that they readily fall easy victims to cholera or any 

 other infectious disease that may make its appearance. 



In many cases the animals are allowed to burrow under a straw 

 stack in winter. Here they become overheated, the air breathed 

 is most impure and filled with dust, and the animals come out in 

 the morning overheated and coughing. Exposure to the sudden 



Fig. .53. — Sanitary hog house on farm of J. H. Dunlap, Williamsport, Ohio. 



change of temperature results in chilling, cough, and often pneu- 

 monia. In those cases which do not develop pneumonia there is a 

 weakening of the resisting power of the animals to disease, and the 

 introduction of cholera virus from any source quickly leads to an 

 outbreak of the disease. 



Sleeping quarters should be provided in which it will be im- 

 possible for the animals to overcrowd. They should be properly 

 bedded with suitable Htter, and so ventilated that the hogs 

 receive a good supply of fresh air, and at the same time are pro- 

 tected from cold drafts. In this way the animals do not become 

 heated up at night and chilled in the morning, and we are able to 

 prevent chronic irritation of the lungs and bronchi, and the resist- 

 ance of the herd is built up instead of weakened. 



