ORGANS OF LOCOMOTION 229 



times, when swine were driven considerable distances to marliet, tiian 

 at tlie present time. However, it also is a problem that confronts 

 the serum producers. 



About the only treatment is to provide ample, clean bedding or 

 turn the swine out to pastvire. 



FATTY CriANGES IN MUSCLE 



Fatty changes of muscle tissue have been observed in suckling pigs 

 by various investigators. This disease or condition is characterized 

 by an extensive fatty degeneration of the muscular tissue of the 

 entire body. The cause of this degeneration is not known, although 

 it may be a sequel of inbreeding. It affects pigs from a few days 

 old to three or four weeks of age. The muscle has a white appear- 

 ance, as if it had been cooked. Similar changes may also be noted 

 in the lymph glands, liver, and kidneys. The affected pigs cease 

 to nurse, lie on the ground, are weak, and may have diarrhea. The 

 disease almost always terminates fatally, the pigs sometimes not even 

 struggling when they die, but in other instances convulsions precede 

 death. Thus far no medicinal treatment has proved of value, but 

 the disease may be prevented by proper care and the frequent intro- 

 duction of new breeding stock. 



MUSCULAR RI-IBUIIATISM 



;,li2umatism may affect the muscular tissue, but more frequent, 

 it affects articulations in swine. 



The cause of muscular rheumatism has not been positively iden- 

 tified. No doubt undue exposure predisposes the animal to this con- 

 dition, but there must also be some active cause, such as infection 

 or absorbed injurious chemical substances. 



Lesions. — Aluscular rheumatism primarily affects the connective 

 tissue of the muscles. The lesion consists of a serous or hemorrhagic 

 infiltration between the muscle bundles and fibers, and rarely of 

 necrosis of the intramuscular fibrous tissue. The muscle fibers are 

 affected with parenchymatous or fatty degeneration, and the sur- 

 rounding arterioles and capillaries are engorged. 



Sympioms. — The principal symptom consists of expression of pain, 

 especially evident when the animal moves. Locomotion is interfered 

 with, and there is a shifting lameness. Some cases of so-called 

 paralysis resulting in dragging of the hind legs are probably mus- 

 cular rheumatism. If the disease is sufficiently extensive the affected 



