mSEASES OF THE HOG. if^ 



in fat pigs. If pigs are unable to rise the constant 

 pressure on the muscles and fatty materiaF from 

 lying on them soon causes them to undergo decom- 

 position and gangrene ending either in sloughing 

 or death. There is a chronic form of rheumatism 

 which affects young pigs which are kept in wet, 

 cold places. This form of rheumatism is most 

 commonly found in the joints, although it may 

 affect the fibrous, synovial or muscular tissue. In 

 this form of the disease the swelling of the joints 

 is not much and to all appearances in some cases 

 not at all. In such cases the muscles often waste 

 away, shrink and become shorter. I have seen 

 young pigs affected with this disease going around 

 in a stiff manner, hump-back, with shrinking of 

 the muscles of the legs, hips and loins; such cases 

 do not grow and are not worth keeping unless they 

 are properly treated and cured. 



Treatment: In the early stages of rheumatism 

 give from one to two ounces of sulphate of mag- 

 nesia or two drops of croton oil in a spoonful of 

 sweet oil; if this does not cause purging in fifteen 

 hours repeat the dose. There is no remedy which 

 will give so much relief in acute rheumatism as a 

 good physic and I have had the best results from 

 the use of croton oil; follow this by giving ten to 

 fifteen drops of the oil of gaultheria in a spoonful 

 of sw^eet oil or raw linseed oil three times a day. 

 Iodide of potassium in ten grain doses three times 

 a day is also useful, or the bicarbonate of potas- 

 sium in ten grain doses along with the food three 

 times a day. In cases of inflammator}^ rheuma- 



