164 



Biological Therapy 



Chronic cases may be benefitted by the judicious use of 

 a mixed bacterin containing the four organisms most 

 frequently observed in such cases. This bacterin should be 

 administered subcutaneously at intervals of three to five 

 days and the dose should consist of at least two c. c. In cases 

 where pathological changes of the intestinal tract are 

 marked, satisfactory results cannot be expected from any 

 treatment. 



In the treatment of acute cases characterized by high 

 temperature and intestinal disturbances, satisfactory results 

 should obtain from the use of anti-mixed infection serum. 

 This product is made from the blood of horses which have 

 been hyperimmunized against the offending organisms and 

 its theraputic effect becomes apparent shortly after use, pro- 

 vided pathological involvement is not marked and the serum 

 is used in large quantities. For this purpose a dose of fifty 

 to one hundred c.c. should be used depending upon the size 

 and condition of the animal. A marked drop in tempera- 

 ture and improvement in general condition is generally 

 promptly apparent following this treatment. However, 

 when necessary the treatment should be repeated in twelve 

 to twenty-four hours. Whenever possible the serum should 

 be administered intraperitoneally since more prompt results 

 follow this method. 



In acute cases in which the value of the animals does 

 do not justify the use of immune serum, mixed bacterin may 

 be used to good advantage. For this purpose injections 

 should be made daily into the muscular or subcutaneous 

 tissue until improvement is marked. Good results fre- 

 quently follow two or three such injections. 



PREVENTION. Affected animals should be isolated 

 from the remainder of the herd. The incidence of the dis- 

 ease is considerably diminished by the treatment of exposed 

 and infected animals with mixed bacterin. For this pur- 

 pose three injections of two c.c. each should be adminis- 

 tered subcutaneously or intramuscularly at intervals of three 

 to five days. 



Necrotic enteritis is frequently observed in a few days 

 after hog cholera immunization of animals which were ap- 

 parently perfectly healthy previous to that time. This is 

 due to the fact that many apparently healthy animals are 

 harboring a mild form of the disease which Ibecomes acute 

 when any devitalizing condition, such as hog cholera im- 



