230 DISEASES OF SWINE 



where you are called to vaccinate or otherwise treat cholera ani- 

 mals. 



Early last spring I remember seeing a case of cholera develop 

 in a herd of healthy hogs, which was brought about in the follow- 

 ing manner: The owner had a cow which died from a severe in- 

 flammation of the womb following calving. This disease was of a 

 most poisonous nature, and finally produced death from a general- 

 ized blood-poisoning. The carcass was hauled over into the hog 

 lot and the animals allowed to feast upon the dead body. 



There was considerable cholera in the neighborhood at the 

 time, but so far the hogs on this farm had remained entirely free 

 from the disease. About two days after they had eaten the carcass 

 of the dead cow nearly the entire herd, and especially the younger 

 animals, developed a severe diarrhea and inflammation of the 

 stomach and bowels. So severe was this attack that several of 

 the young pigs died. Postmortem was made, as it was feared an 

 outbreak of cholera had developed. No signs of cholera were 

 found, however, and in a few days the animals began to get well 

 again. 



In the course of another week several were noticed to be sick 

 again, and postmortem of one which died a few days after this 

 second attack showed the regular picture of cholera with blood- 

 colored spots in lymph-glands, bowels, lungs, kidneys, and skin. 

 Here, again, the eating of meat containing disease-producing germs 

 had resulted in a severe inflammation of the bowels from which a 

 number of the pigs died. Young pigs are not very resistant to 

 infections of the stomach and bowels, and are readily carried away 

 by scours and other diseases of the digestive tract. 



The older animals were harder to make sick, and were able to 

 weather the storm of the first infection, but it left them in such a 

 weakened condition that they were easy victims for cholera infec- 

 tion, which in some manner had been brought to the feed lot from 

 nearby farms on which cholera was present. 



While the direct dangers from the feeding of dead animal 

 carcasses is very great, as already pointed out and illustrated by 

 the above examples, there is another indirect danger which is 

 even more to be feared than those just mentioned. 



This added danger lies in the drawing power which these ex- 



