USE OF SERUM IN HOG-CHOLERA 375 



If there has been any carelessness or uncleanliness in the 

 handUng or administration of the serum there is a probability 

 of abscess formation. These abscesses are one of the most com- 

 mon compHcations after injection of serum, and the utmost care 

 and cleanliness is necessary to avoid them. 



After-care of Animals. — For the first twenty-four hours after 

 administration of the serum the hogs should be kept in a clean 

 feed-lot or a meadow pasture and fed but very little food. They 

 should be kept out of the sun as much as possible and allowed 

 plenty of water for drinking purposes. It is a good plan to let them 

 rustle for their food for a day or two. In this manner they move 

 about rather freely, and this promotes good absorption of the serum 

 and at the same time works out the soreness. 



There should be no surgical operations of any kind performed 

 on the hogs for several weeks. No ringing, snouting, or castrating 

 should be done for at least three weeks. Immediately following 

 the injection of the serum there is a considerable amount of reac- 

 tion on the part of the tissues of the animal body. At the same 

 time, if the hog be attacked by a swarm of cholera germs, there is 

 a further drain on the strength of the tissues, and every energy is 

 bent toward the defeat of the invading enemy. Every ounce of 

 strength is necessary to carry out a successful fight. 



Avoid Castrating. — If we castrate or ring the herd about this 

 time we add an extra burden to the already overworked system, as 

 the pain and inconvenience of these operations are bound to lower, 

 to some small extent at least, the resistance of the tissues. This 

 may be just enough of an added load on the tissues to throw the 

 balance of power in favor of the germs. 



I remember of one instance in Illinois last summer where a 

 herd that had been exposed to cholera was given an injection with 

 serum. The animals went along just fine for about ten days. The 

 owner then castrated a number of young boars in the bunch. Two 

 days later 3 of these castrated hogs were noticeably ill, and 

 1 of them finally died. All the other shoats remained well and 

 thrifty. In this case there can be but little doubt that the cas- 

 tration was the cause of the change in condition of the 3 mentioned. 



It is well also to cut down the feed pretty low for these first 

 twenty-four hours. The hog is better off with little or nothing to 



