58 Veterinary Medicine. 



an important consideration. ' To these various poisonous products 

 of saprophytic ferments it often happens that the older swine 

 hav« by continuous exposure, acquired a comparative immunity, 

 while the young growing pigs perish in large numbers. 



Feeding pigs in confinement, without green or animal food is 

 very liable to induce costiveness and indigestion which pave the 

 way for the inroad of the hog cholera germ. A certain allowance 

 of green food, slops, and, above all, a variety of food constituting 

 a well-balanced ration are always desirable. 



Again, the constitution of the pig is often material. On the 

 continent of Europe it is the high bred English pigs that suffer 

 most, and in all cases a lack of the rugged vigor attained through 

 an active, open air life lays the system more open to a violent at- 

 tack. Too close breeding must be similiarly avoided, together 

 with breeding from the immature, the weak and the debilitated. 

 In this connection it is important to rid the herd of parasitisms 

 which not only weaken the system and lessen the power of re- 

 sistance, but by the bites or the inflammation induced, open 

 channels for the introduction of the hog-cholera bacillus. 



Prevent the Introduction of the Bacillus. The above precautions 

 are important in obviating infection and favoring a milder type 

 of the disease when the germ has been introduced, but they are 

 but palliatives at best, and will not hinder the development of a 

 plague in the presence of an active and potent virus. Adopted 

 alone they are worse than useless as a means of extinction of the 

 germ : they tend to preserve it. The exclusion of the hog-cholera 

 germ is the one essential thing in prevention and whatever comes 

 short of this must have at best but a partial effect. 



Avoid pens, pastures or streams that drain swine enclosures 

 higher up, Discard all provender or litter that has come in con- 

 tact with other pigs or their products. Allow no visitors to the 

 herd such . as butchers, dealers, drovers, that have habitually 

 come in contact with other herds. Exclude as far as possible 

 domestic animals (dogs, sheep, cattle, fowls, pigeons), and even 

 vehicles coming from places where hogs are kept. Wild animals 

 such as buzzards, and other carrion feeders, must be especially 

 guarded against. Wild rabbits and hares (jack rabbits), skunks, 

 wood chucks minks, rats, and mice should be exterminated. 

 Small birds and flies are difficult to deal with but the breeding of 



