590 THE COMPLETE GRAZIER. BOOK vi. 



and thighs, and over the breast and belly. Sometimes blisters and 

 scabs appear on the skin, and, in protracted cases, the ears and tail 

 may shrivel up and slough. The stricken beasts are dull and huddle 

 together, or bury themselves in the litter, from which they show no 

 desire to move. On being made to do so they are found to stand with 

 their backs up and their tails drooping. There is a discharge from 

 the eyes, sometimes also from the nose. Early in the disease the 

 movements are feeble, and the animal becomes progressively weak. 

 Sooner or later diarrhoea sets in, the belly is tucked up, and the legs 

 are drawn under the body. Where the lungs become involved, as 

 frequently happens, there is a cough with more or less difficulty of 

 breathing. In some instances the animal becomes stupid, giddy, or 

 even delirious, and, in this condition, vision is impaired, and it may be 

 that the hind parts become paralysed, and the body general!} 7 is convulsed. 

 Swine plague is dealt with under the Contagious Diseases (Animals) 

 Acts, wherein it is provided that any Local Authority may, if the}' 

 think fit, 



I. Cause any swine affected with swine-fever to be slaughtered ; or 



II. Cause any swine being or having been in the same pig-sty 

 or shed, or in contact, with swine affected with swine-fever, to be 

 slaughtered. 



It is further provided that the Local Authority shall, out of the local 

 rate, pay compensation as follows for swine slaughtered under this 

 article : 



(a.) Where the pig slaughtered was affected with swine-fever the 

 compensation shall be one half of its value immediately before 

 it became so affected, but so that the compensation do not in 

 any case exceed forty shillings. 



(&.) In every other case the compensation shall be the value of the 

 pig immediately before it was slaughtered, but so that the 

 compensation do not in any such case exceed four pounds. 



The general health rate of the pig is higher than that of an} r other 

 of our domesticated animals. This is no doubt in some measure due 

 to the fact that swine are killed young, and consequently only a few are 

 exposed to the risk of suffering from the numerous ailments incidental 

 to old age and decay. 



In relation to the health of the younger members of the pig herd 

 the temperament of the dam must be considered. Irritable, ill-natured 

 sows, however robust they may be, seldom do justice to their litters. 

 Many sows are so constituted as to be made furious by ordinary 

 disturbing causes ; thus, a sore teat, a chapped udder, or the irritation 

 due to the sharp tusks of the sucklings frequently provokes a constant 

 state of excitement and restlessness. The influence of temperament 

 on the quality of the milk is now generally recognised, and the ill 

 effects of milk furnished by animals under conditions of excitement and 

 restlessness are often very marked. The sudden and repeated attacks 

 of diarrhoea from which young pigs suffer arise from this cause more 

 frequently than is commonly supposed. 



