TREATMENT OF CHOLERA 225 



flesh. When we discussed the virus of cholera we found that this 

 disease-producing material is found throughout the entire carcass. 

 It is found in enormous quantities in the blood, in the muscles, in 

 the liver, in the bowels, in the lungs, and, in fact, in every part of 

 the body. To feed to healthy animals the dead bodies of hogs 

 which have died of cholera is to sign their death-warrant. They 

 will contract the disease as sure as the sun rises, and the type of 

 disease so produced is usually of the most dangerous and acute 

 type. 



Some few years ago, while visiting in northern Wisconsin, a 

 strange hog came upon the premises one afternoon and was evi- 

 dently at that time in a very sick condition. During the night the 

 animal died. In the morning the hired man was told to hitch up 

 the team and drag the carcass over into the feed lot, and allow 

 the hogs to devour the carcass. This was done, and the large 

 herd of hogs in the feed lot made short work of the dead animal, it 

 having all disappeared within a few hours. 



About ten days later several of the younger animals were 

 noticed to be off feed. In a short time they had lost all appetite, 

 were remaining hid in the litter of the hog shed in the mornings, 

 developed a characteristic cough and a profuse foul, dark-colored 

 diarrhea. Within another week they began to die rapidly. Post- 

 mortem examination of some of the dead animals revealed typical 

 lesions of hog-cholera. 



In this case the disease was unquestionably transmitted to this 

 healthy herd from the dead carcass of the strange animal that had 

 died on the premises. The younger animals, being the more easily 

 attacked, were the first to show the evidences of the disease, and 

 quickly died from the effects. 



Another case that came under my notice a few months ago 

 was that of a feeder in central Illinois. This man had a large herd 

 of hogs which were running after cattle in his feed lots and pas- 

 tures. He had three other fat hogs that were kept in a small pen 

 near the house, where they were slopped with kitchen refuse as well 

 as other swill, and were being fattened for slaughter for home meat- 

 supply. One of these animals gradually developed an attack of 

 illness with diarrhea, loss of appetite, loss of weight, and cough. 

 The animal lived for several days, but finally died. The carcass 



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