218 DISEASES OF SWINE 



infection from some other diseased herd, and the result was the 

 planting of the seeds of disease. With a lowered vitality already 

 present, the animals proved easy victims for the cholera germs, and, 

 while they improved for a few days when the method of feeding 

 was changed, the damage had already been done and a severe type 

 of acute cholera developed. 



There are two excellent lessons to be learned from the experi- 

 ence of this man. One is that animals must be fed with due regard 

 to a balanced ration, as otherwise digestive disturbances are bound 

 to develop which will open the way for cholera. 



The second lesson to be derived from this man's costly experi- 

 ence is never to allow butchers, drovers, buyers, or any one who is 

 in the habit of visiting other farms to enter your pens. These 

 men are continuously spreading disease germs to healthy herds, and 

 you must learn to appreciate the danger of allowing anyone to 

 mingle with your hogs who has recently come from any disease- 

 infected farm. This applies to yourself and your farm employees 

 as well. You should remain away from cholera-infected farms, 

 and, if for any reason you do visit such premises, thoroughly wash 

 your shoes or boots in some disinfecting solution before returning 

 to your own farm. 



In the Southern States large amounts of cotton-seed meal are 

 fed to animals, and especially to hogs. This forms a quite service- 

 able article of diet, but here, too, as in the case of corn, the danger 

 exists of producing digestive disturbances where cotton-seed meal 

 forms an exclusive article of diet, and whenever you produce 

 indigestion, diarrhea, or constipation you are in great danger of an 

 outbreak of cholera. This is, of course, especially true if there be 

 an outbreak of cholera in the immediate neighborhood. With 

 respect to cotton-seed meal, it might be said that it produces an 

 unnatural fat, which is of an oily character and does not chill out 

 well in the coolers. 



Another practice in respect to feeding that is especially danger- 

 ous is the use of the common swill barrel. These swill barrels are 

 very common on the small farms throughout central Illinois. In 

 this barrel sour milk, kitchen refuse, together with shelled corn, 

 ground feed, etc., are all mixed together, and allowed to sour, fer- 

 ment, and putrefy. These barrels are frequently never thoroughly 



