408 DISEASES OF SWINE 



of the serum had worn off, then they would be unprotected and 

 would develop an. attack of cholera. For this reason it would 

 be a better method to make sure that each animal is going to get 

 a sufficient amount of the cholera virus by simply injecting the 

 virulent blood directly into the body at the same time that the 

 serum is given. With a good serum there will be no danger of 

 the animal developing cholera, even if placed in an infected pen 

 where he will come in contact with more of the hog-cholera virus. 



HANDLING OF COMPLICATIONS 



After the giving of the double method of treatment it is always 

 just within the bounds of possibility that some bad result may 

 occur. The serum used may be of poor quality, and this is espe- 

 cially liable to happen if the serum used is put on the market 

 without having first been properly tested by actual injection with 

 virus into the body of young susceptible animals. 



In such a case as this there might be an outbreak of cholera 

 in the herd within a few days after the administration of the treat- 

 ment. In such an event as this, what is to be done? 



In point of actual fact there is great danger that but very 

 little can be done. The time to have prevented this bad result 

 was before the injection was made. The quality of the serum 

 should have been made certain of before it was applied. Here, 

 again, allow me to caution against the use of an uncertain serum, 

 especially in giving the double method of treatment. In using 

 the single method if you use a poor serum you may not have any 

 bad results following, for the cholera germs may not enter the 

 premises in sufficient number to set up the disease. When you 

 use the double method you are dealing with a different proposi- 

 tion, and it is absolutely essential that you make certain that you 

 are dealing with agents upon which you can absolutely depend. 

 If you inject a real active virus which contains living hog-cholera 

 germs, and inject with it an uncertain serum, you are very, likely 

 to have a large number of funerals to account for. 



In case an outbreak of cholera should make its appearance 

 in a herd that has received the double method of treatment, the 

 only possible means of saving a part of the herd is to at once secure 

 some real serum, and go back into that herd and inject with serum 



