394 The Care of Animals 



that the disease is caused by a microscopic germ, and 

 that the opportunities for its distribution are many. 

 The germ of hog cholera is active and free -swimming, 

 and so small that hundreds of them can live in a 

 single drop of water. The swine plague germ is not 

 free -swimming. 



The germs of hog cholera are scattered about by the 

 discharges from sick animals as they are moved over 

 the country. When hogs are shipped in cars, the latter 

 become infested; hence, the necessity of thoroughly 

 disinfecting cars before shipping healthy hogs in them. 

 Streams are frequent sources of infection; it is common 

 to find the disease occurring at farm after farm in 

 succession along a watercourse. The writer has seen 

 the bodies of hogs floating down streams during out- 

 breaks of cholera. Sick hogs are likely to wander 

 away to adjoining farms, thus scattering the infection. 

 Dogs, wolves, foxes, crows and other animals that feed 

 upon flesh may carry the germs, often long distances. 



The bodies of hogs that have died from the disease 

 should be burned or buried deep. When the outbreak 

 is severe and many animals die, the carcasses are often 

 disposed of in a careless manner, that is a menace to 

 the health of other hogs in the neighborhood. Germs 

 of hog cholera may also be carried on the shoes of 

 persons visiting infected localities. Whenever hog 

 cholera occurs in a herd of swine and an attempt is 

 to be made to stop its progress, the healthy animals 

 should be removed from the sick and placed upon 

 uninfected ground some distance away. When swine 

 plague occurs without hog cholera, it can often be 



