572 DISEASES OF SWINE 



for use after emptying of the stomach are milk, Epsom salt, and 

 lime-water. To prevent after-effects of the drug, potassium iodid, 

 in 10- to lo-gr. doses, may be used. 



Poisoning by bichlorid of mercury, if severe, is a very danger- 

 ous form of poisoning, and is likely to prove fatal. 



Poisoning from Meat Brine. — This is a very common form of 

 poisoning in hogs. The hog seems to be peculiarly susceptible to 

 the action of salt as an irritant of the stomach and bowels. Under 

 ordinary conditions, if common salt be placed in front of hogs, even 

 in large quantities, they will eat but very little of it. However, 

 when combined with the extractives from meat or fish, as in the 

 case of meat or fish brine, they will drink large quantities of the 

 strong salt solution with very disastrous effects. 



On the farms salt brine is very commonly used as a means for 

 preserving meat for the summer use. When the meat has been 

 several weeks in the cure or pickle, as it is called, it is taken out and 

 further preserved by means of smoke. In many cases the brine 

 which remains in the barrel is taken out and poured in the hog 

 troughs and the hogs allowed free access to it. There is something 

 about the smell of the meat in the brine which attracts them, and 

 it is not long until they will have drunk enough of the salt solution 

 to produce very bad effects. In many cases, where hogs are fed 

 upon the swill collected from city restaurants, hotels, groceries, etc., 

 the brine from empty fish kegs is dumped into the swill. This brine 

 is very strong in salt, and a small amount of it will be sufficient to 

 produce symptoms of poisoning in the hogs. 



It takes but a few minutes after drinking the brine for symp- 

 toms to develop. The animal will first be noted to be restless. He 

 runs about the feed lot in an uncertain sort of manner and squeals. 

 He will lie down for a moment, and then jumps up again and runs 

 along the fence, squealing and stamping the feet. Finally, the 

 irritation becomes more marked. The animal begins to froth at 

 the mouth, and is seized by a convulsion, in the course of which the 

 muscles become rigid and the hog throws himself around in a violent 

 manner. The pain is now severe, and the sick animal gives evi- 

 dence of it by frequent squeals and grunts. Convulsions follow 

 each other in rapid succession, each seizure being more severe 

 than the one before. 



