Swine Plague : Septicamia Hemorrhagica Suis. 51 



as the disease advances diarrhoea may set in. There is rapid 

 loss of condition, and the patient may die as the result of ex- 

 haustion, toxin poisoning, colliquative diarrhcea, or other con- 

 dition. 



Diagnosis during life is based largely on the shorter incubation, 

 the greater reddening of the visible mucosae, the comparative ab- 

 sence of abdominal tenderness, and offensive diarrhoea, and the 

 constancy of the cough and other symptoms of broncho-pneumonia. 



Post-mortem. It is marked by the constancy and predominance 

 of the lung lesions, and the comparative absence of ulceration of 

 the ileum, caecum and colon, and especially of the projecting, 

 laminated, button-like, necrotic sloughs. 



The morphology of the bacillus, its habit of polar staining, its 

 lack of automatic movements, its comparatively poor growth in 

 alkaline bouillon, on potato, gelatine and agar, its inability to 

 ferment glucose with the production of gas, its rapidly fatal action 

 on hens and pigeons as well as on rabbits and guinea pigs serve 

 to distinguish it from the microbe of hog cholera. (See table 



p. 38). 



Prevention. In this connection the reader is referred to the 

 precautions, given under hog cholera, against conditions, heredi- 

 tary, hygienic, climatic, dietetic, parasitic, etc., which lay the 

 system more open to raicrobian invasion. In the matter of exclu- 

 sion of the bacillus, the swine plague germ is less difficult to deal 

 -vvith, because it is so much more easily destroyed. Disinfect the 

 buildings, and all contaminated objects as advised under hog 

 cholera, clean yards, and shut up these and pastures or runs, and 

 all infected water for one month. In case of public market yards 

 and alleys, and railway loading banks, chutes, and cars, a 

 thorough cleansing and disinfection may warrant that they may 

 be put to use again immediately. No animals that occupied the 

 yards before disinfection should be allowed to mingle with the 

 new stock, as they at times carry the microbe, though themselves 

 apparently healthy and immune. All regulations as to railway 

 and boat transit, recommended under hog cholera, are equally 

 applicable to swine plague. The possibility of protecting private 

 herds, by keeping them in special pens, holding two or three 

 each, is also the same for swine plague. 



Immunization is somewhat more promising than in hog cholera. 

 Metchinkoff and Th. Smith working independently found a fair 



