DISEASES OF THE HOG. 173 
in fat pigs. If pigs are unable to rise the constant 
pressure on the muscles and fatty material from 
lying on them soon causes them to undergo decom- 
position and gangrene ending either in sloughing 
, or death. There is a chronic form of rheumatism 
which affects young pigs which are kept in wet, 
cold places. This form of rheumatism is most 
commonly found in the joints, although it may 
affect the fibrous, synovial or muscular tissue. In 
this form of the disease the swelling of the joints 
is not much and to all appearances in some cases 
not at all. In such cases the muscles often waste 
away, shrink and become shorter. I have seen 
young pigs affected with this disease going around 
in a stiff manner, hump-back, with shrinking of 
the muscles of the legs, hips and loins; such cases 
do not grow and are not worth keeping unless they 
are properly treated and cured. 
Treatment: In the early stages of rheumatism 
give from one to two ounces of sulphate of mag- 
nesia or two drops of croton oil in a spoonful of 
sweet oil; if this does not cause purging in fifteen 
hours repeat the dose. There is no remedy which 
will give so much relief in acuté rheumatism as a 
good physic and I have had the best results from 
the use of croton oil; follow this by giving ten to 
fifteen drops of the oil of gaultheria in a spoonful 
of sweet oil or raw linseed oil three times a day. 
Iodide of potassium in ten grain doses three times 
a day is also useful, or the bicarbonate of potas- 
sium in ten grain doses along with the focd three 
times a day. In cases of inflammatory rheuma- 
