298 SWINE 



self around by means of its front legs. A hog aflfected in 

 such a way has soft, spongy bones, especially at the 

 joints in the legs, and its muscles are filled with soft 

 slimy ooze. The bones are weak and the stomach is out 

 of order. This disease is thought to be caused by insuffi- 

 cient mineral matter in the feed, hence is usually preva- 

 lent in localities where the soil is insufficiently supplied 

 with mineral matter, or where the pig is kept under arti- 

 ficial conditions and not given enough mineral matter in 

 his feed. 



The prevention of the disease consists simply in feed- 

 ing the hog properly, especially giving him sufficient of 

 various kinds of mineral matter, of which lime and phos- 

 phorus are perhaps the most important. He may be fed 

 mineral substances direct, or feeds that are rich in min- 

 eral matter. The cure for this evil is not very well es- 

 tablished and is a slow process. It may take a year to 

 effect a cure by feeding mineral substances. 



Another malady that is said to be caused by a defici- 

 ency of bone-making material in the pig is what is called 

 sniffles. This may also be remedied by proper feeding. 



COUGHING. 



A cough in hogs may be the result of various causes. 

 As already noted, hogs that have tuberculosis may cough, 

 and besides this hogs may cough for various reasons, as 

 for instance, when they have worms, especially in the 

 lungs ; sore throat, colds, pneumonia, etc. A hog is sub- 

 ject to various diseases similar to those affecting man. If 

 he coughs because he has tuberculosis, there is no cure 

 except to destroy the individual ; if he has worms, these 

 may be taken care of ; if he has sore throat, he should be 

 treated like a man with such an ailment ; if he has pneu- 

 monia, he should be handled likewise, — namely, be kept 



