508 DISEASES OF SWINE 



in the same neighborhood as herds Thirty-two, Forty-three, and 

 Forty-four. The animals had become infected probably by spread 

 of the disease from some of the surrounding infected farms. Sev- 

 eral weeks before the owner of the herd had obtained from Chicago 

 a supply of commercial serum which he had intended to use if his 

 hogs became sick. When the disease did finally make its appear- 

 ance he sent for the United States officials, and requested them to 

 treat a part of his herd with government serum for comparison with 

 the results from use of the commercial serum. 



Seven old hogs were injected with 40 c.c. each of the govern- 

 ment serum. Nine spring gilts received 30 c.c. each and one boar 

 was given 40 c.c. On the same day the owner injected 31 spring 

 shoats with the commercial preparation. 



The final report on the results in this herd showed a striking 

 comparison. Of the animals injected with government serum none 

 were lost; of those treated with the commercial product, only 6 

 were saved! 



This is, indeed, a most instructive example of the difference in 

 results where a reliable and a worthless serum are used. In justice 

 to the commercial preparation, it must be said that the conditions 

 under which it was used were unfavorable. This serum had been 

 in the hands of the farmer for several weeks, and it is possible that 

 he may not have understood the need for keeping it at a low tem- 

 perature, and it may have become spoiled and even infected. In 

 this case, the deaths following its use could not be properly charged 

 to lack of protective power in the serum when it left the hands of 

 the dealer. 



The fact remains, however, that a large amount of the com- 

 mercial serums which have been on the markets in the past five 

 years were worthless, and, worse than that, they were laden 

 with other germs which were capable of producing blood-poisoning 

 and other diseases which would carry off the animal almost as 

 quickly as would cholera itself. 



When you are going to use a serum, make certain that the 

 product used is a rehable one. Do not buy an untested serum be- 

 cause it is cheap. The loss of one hog that could have been saved 

 would more than counterbalance any saving in price. Especially 

 I warn you against the use of an untested serum in giving the 



