DISEASES OP THE HOG. 57 



and may be rigid; pressure on the abdomen will 

 ease the pain and the pig will sometimes lie flat on 

 its belly for a few minutes. TLe pain often abates 

 suddenly or it may last for hours, although it usu- 

 ally yields to proper treatment If possible find 

 the cause. If it is from constipation give a dose 

 of castor oil and from fifteen to twenty-five drops 

 of tincture of opium in it. If the pain is very se- 

 vere give twenty-five drops of the essence of pep- 

 permint or spearmint dropped on sugar, or a tea- 

 cupful of effusion of ginger or from one to three 

 teaspoonfuls of the compound tincture of lavender. 

 One to two teaspoonfuls of the camphorated tinc- 

 ture of opium will usually be still more efficient; 

 any of the above should be repeated at intervals of 

 from one to two hours. If it should be very per- 

 sistent give one-fourth of a grain of morphine hy- 

 podermically. After the acute pain has subsided 

 give the pig a dose of epsom salts to clean out the 

 bowels. 



CONSTIPATION. 



This term is applied to a condition of the bowels 

 in which the passages of feces are less frequent 

 and of smaller quantities than normal. If this 

 condition of things lasts for a time it will impair 

 the health. 



Causes: Sows and young pigs that have been too 

 highly fed are often troubled by constipation. Pigs 

 which are confined in houses are often the victims 

 of constipation^ as exercise i9 needful for the prop- 



