314 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 
LEPROSY. 
By this is meant a disease which, though rare in America, is quite 
common in some countries of Europe, notably in England. Its essential 
manifestation is the development of whitish vesicles in any or all parts of 
the soft tissues of the body. It is most likely excited by a foul state of the 
sty and food, exposure to wet and cold, and other influences which seriously 
derange the digestive functions. Its progress is insidious, the organic changes 
being often far advanced before the disorder is noticed. The thighs, 
hams, jaws, shoulders, belly, in fact, all parts, contain the whitish vesicles; 
the animal is slow, drooping and weak; the skin thickens and shows ulcerous. 
sores, with patches of hair coming off; the gait is unsteady, and the mus- 
cular control of the hind parts is sometimes entirely lost; the appetite may 
be seemingly normal; the breath is offensive, and the whole surface emits 
a more or less putrid odor; as the disease progresses, it will be marked by 
increased ulceration and swelling of the skin, with flakes coming off, shiny 
and offensive saliva, and other signs of putrefaction. 
TREATMENT.—At whatever stage the disease be detected, it is 
best to kill the hog and bury it, because its flesh will scarcely be rendered 
fit for food with the best treatment, or with the most approved curing and 
cooking of the meat. 
MEASLES. 
This is of quite frequent occurrence among swine, though it is ma- 
terially different in character from the disease in the human being to which 
the term is applied. It is essentially due to the presence of cysts in the 
muscles, in the tissues, in the eye, brain, and other parts, these cysts contain- 
ing worms which are believed to be the undeveloped form of the tape- 
worm which infests the human body, and which enters the hog’s stomach 
when it eats the human excrement of privies or drinks water running there- 
from. It is claimed that the human stomach in turn receives the tape-worm 
when infested pork is eaten without being thoroughly cooked. These cysts 
can usually be seen if they are under the tongue or in the eye. If they are 
in the muscles and adjoining tissues, the animal will be in pain, and be stiff; 
if in the brain, there will be stupor or delirium, or both. 
TREATMENT.—When the cysts have once become imbedded in the 
organic structures, treatment is unavailing. An avoidance of the influences 
which give rise to the disorder, including the deposits about privies—which 
are not safe as a fertilizer where the hog runs—is the best mode of prevention, 
and this is the only safe treatment. 
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