156 DISEASES OF SWINE 



of the body. This is the most common form of 

 blood poisoning in swine. Local abscesses are not 

 uncommon. At other times the germs do not 

 overrun the tissues, but remain at the wound or 

 point of inoculation. Here they develop and pro- 

 duce toxic or poisonous substances that may 

 exert a local or general poisonous efifect on the 

 tissues of the body. This may produce profound 

 general shock to the system, or inflammation of 

 certain organs. Several different forms of bacteria 

 may be present in this disease. 



Causes. — The forms usually encountered are mi- 

 crococci, especially staphylococcus albus and 

 aureus, streptococci, and a few bacilli. These 

 germs enter the tissues through bruises or abra- 

 sions in the skin, and extensive wounds. The op- 

 portunity hogs have to become infected through 

 their surroundings is of great importance, and is 

 responsible for the abscesses occurring in this 

 class of farm animals. Infection sometimes fol- 

 lows castration, or other operations, when care- 

 lessly performed and not cared for properly. 

 Blood poisoning is not rare as a result of putri- 

 factive changes in the womb following an inflam- 

 mation of the organ, or as a result of retention of 

 the foetus. 



Symptoms. — Uiiless the symptoms follow an 

 extensive infection resulting from a difficult birth, 

 an operation, or a large wound, the symptoms 

 are not connected with a disease of this nature. 

 When the infection occurs through a bruise or a 



