RABIES 523 



or pass along their way. In many cases the bites are never noticed, 

 and the first knowledge of the fact that the herd has been visited 

 by a rabid dog is obtained when the animals begin to show signs 

 of the disease. 



There is undoubtedly a specific germ which causes rabies, 

 but what its exact nature is no one has ever been able to discover. 

 This germ apparently attacks the nervous system and lodges in 

 the brain and spinal cord. It produces a powerful poison which 

 acts upon the general nervous system, producing the marked 

 symptoms that characterize the disease. This germ, whatever it 

 be, is also found in the saliva, and is in this manner carried into 

 the tissues of the bitten animal with the bite of the teeth. 



Symptoms of rabies do not begin to show themselves for two 

 or three weeks after the hog has been attacked by the mad dog. 

 During this time the animal shows no signs of anything wrong. 

 The wound made by the bite apparently heals over, and it looks as 

 if a complete recovery had been made. 



All at once it is noticed that the hog is ver}^ restless. The 

 animal runs around in all directions, grunts hoarsely, roots in 

 the Utter, may attack other hogs, their litter, the attendants, cat- 

 tle, or anything that comes in its path. The wound opens up 

 again and begins to discharge. This bite is very irritable, and the 

 hog will scratch and attempt to gnaw at it. 



In rooting in the Utter it often swallows many hard, indiges- 

 tible objects. These may be found in the stomach after death. 

 The rabid hog may attempt to gnaw the boards on the sides 

 of the pen, will often eat large amounts of earth and pieces of 

 old rotten logs, and similar objects that may be in the feed 

 lot. 



When the sick animals lie down they may remain quiet for a 

 considerable length of time, but the moment anyone approaches 

 the pen they jump up and run around the pen in a wild manner. 

 If a human being enters the lot with them they will make an 

 attempt to attack him. Saliva runs from the mouth and is seen 

 as a frothy foam. They attempt to drink water and eat food, but 

 the attempts to swallow produce severe pain and they soon give 

 it up. 



Young pigs that are affected with rabies may fall on their 



