CLINICAL EVIDENCE OF VALUE OF SERUM 507 



size were left untreated to serve as checks on the results of the 

 serum. 



Results shown in the final report on this herd are indeed most 

 pleasing, and give an excellent example of what may be expected 

 when a high-grade serum is used. Out of the 70 shoats that were 

 injected, only 9 died. This in spite of the fact that 55 of the ani- 

 mals had been for several days in the same feed lot with the shoats 

 that had died, and the other 15 had been in a lot which joined 

 fences with the infected feed lot. If temperatures were available 

 on these shoats over 50 per cent, of them would undoubtedly 

 have been found to have a high fever, showing that they were 

 developing the disease. 



Evidence of the virulent nature of the disease on this farm is 

 offered in the report on the checks, showing that 7 out of the 10 

 left untreated afterward died. 



Such results as this should encourage any man to make an effort 

 to have his herd treated although the cholera has made a start. 

 Even after several hogs have died, as in the case here shown, it is 

 often not too late, if a reliable serum is used and the dose increased 

 to the point where it can be expected to overcome the large amount 

 of poisonous bodies that have already begun to attack the cells of 

 the animal body. Of course, every hour that is lost in getting the 

 treatment to the herd means an increased amount of these poison- 

 ous bodies in the blood of the sick hog, and means a much bigger 

 task for the serum to accomplish. Every hour saved means just 

 that much larger percentage of animals that will be saved. The 

 better method, of course, is to have the double treatment given 

 before cholera gets on the farm, but in cases where this is not 

 done, it is not too late to make use of the serum even after visible 

 signs of the disease have shown themselves. Remember that se- 

 rum is not claimed to be a curative for all cases of cholera. Some 

 do not even claim any curative properties for it whatever. I 

 have seen sufficient proof of benefit following the use of the treat- 

 ment in sick hogs that I am convinced that these men are overcon- 

 servative in their statements. Many sick animals can be saved with 

 serum if the serum used is of proper strength and the dose suffi- 

 ciently large. 



Herd Number Forty-seven. — This was another herd located 



