272 DISEASES OF SWINE 



back to the farms, there can be but one outcome. Cholera is 

 as certain to follow the trail of such shipments as the sun is to 

 rise. 



The split hoof of cattle makes them especially Ukely to gather 

 up and carry for a considerable period the disease-carrying material 

 of cholera. The manure, dirt, and soiled htter becomes embedded 

 in the cleft between the two sides of the hoof, and it is only by 

 most thorough cleaning that it can all be removed. The animal 

 might travel several miles after unloading, and still carry enough 

 cholera virus into the feed lots to form the start for an outbreak of 

 the disease. 



One of the most interesting examples of this kind of infection 

 was reported to me recently by a friend in the state of Michigan, 



It appears that three farmers, living as close neighbors to each 

 other, made the decision that they would go into the cattle-feeding 

 business. They, accordingly, sent two of their number out into 

 Nebraska for the purpose of purchasing four or five loads of feeders, 

 and shipping them home to be placed on their feed lots. 



The cattle were purchased in a few days, and shipped in cars 

 which had probably been recently used for the shipment of hogs 

 or other live stock, although, as to this, my correspondent is not 

 certain. However, on the journey eastward it was necessary that 

 the cattle be unloaded, fed and watered, and reloaded. This 

 was done at a public stock-yard en route, and the cattle were here 

 left out of the cars over night and allowed to rest in the stock-yard 

 pens. These pens were used both for the handling of cattle and 

 hogs, and it is quite likely that cholera hogs had been shipped out 

 of these yards at a date only a few days previous. This, of course, 

 made the yard an infected premises, and the cattle evidently 

 took up a considerable amount of the infectious material with 

 them. 



On their arrival in Michigan they were divided up among the 

 three farms and placed in the feed lots. Each of these farms had a 

 large drove of hogs, and, as is the usual custom, the hogs were 

 allowed to run behind the cattle for the purpose of gathering up 

 any waste corn or other food that passed through the stomach 

 and bowels of the cattle undigested. 



About twenty days after the cattle had been received a few 



