HOG-CHOLERA— SWINE FEVER 361 



and lie down most of the time. Under symptoms of anemia, 

 cachexia and general debility, death follows in two to three 

 weeks. A few cases recover, but usually remain stunted. 



(c) Pectoral Form. — In this form the symptoms of pneu- 

 monia and pleuritis predominate. The hogs show high fever 

 (108° F.), and cough frequently. There is often pronounced 

 expiratory dyspnea and nasal discharge. Conjunctivitis is 

 present. In the skin of the ears, neck, sides and lower por- 

 tions of the body, tail, etc., appear petechise and ecchymoses. 

 The bowels are constipated in the beginning but later diarrhea 

 sets in. Death usually results in one to two weeks, although 

 in a few cases the disease becomes chronic leading to emacia- 

 tion, capricious appetite, cough, dyspnea and fetid diarrhea. 

 Death may follow in one to two months from exhaustion. 

 Occasionally an encapsulement of necrotic lung foci takes 

 place and the patient recovers. (See Swine Plague.) 



(d) Mixed Form. — ^While in the beginning of outbreaks 

 of hog-cholera the disease may assume one of the above 

 described forms, usually later both the lung and bowel types 

 occur concomitantly in the individual. The symptoms are, 

 therefore, quite complex, but usually one or the other form 

 predominates. In many outbreaks marked skin lesions 

 appear. Besides the intravascular redness noted, vesicles, 

 pustules, ulcers and marked necrosis, especially of the ears 

 and tail (which may drop off), occur. Not infrequently 

 urticaria and loss of the bristles are observed. 



Diagnosis. — ^The diagnosis of cholera intra vitam is difficult, 

 especially in the beginning of an outbreak. Usually after 

 carefully weighing the available syinptoms an examination 

 postmortem (see this) must be made. In case of doubt a 

 diagnosis can be made only by inoculating healthy young 

 swine with the filtered blood of the suspect. Hog-cholera 

 may be confused with: 



(a) Svdll Cholera. — In districts free from hog-cholera a, 

 disease appears very like cholera. It is due to feeding swill 

 containing dishwater in which is a quantity of powdered soap. 

 Even the postmortem lesions resemble those of cholera. 

 Careful inquiry into the mode of feeding usually suffices to 

 explain the origin of the disease which promptly disappears 



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