DISEASES OF SWINE 517 



SWINE PLAGUE 



Swine plague is an infectious germ disease of swine. It is 

 frequently associated with hog cholera, which it resembles. In 

 fact, the two diseases resemble each other so very closely that it 

 often requires a post mortem examination by an expert to dis- 

 tinguish between them. From this it follows that the manner 

 of spreading the disease as well as its prevention are practically 

 the same as in the case of hog cholera. While these two diseases 

 cause untold loss among swine, it must be remembered that by 

 proper sanitary methods they can be practically prevented. 

 This calls for better treatment than is ordinarily given swine. 

 Well-hghted, comfortable quarters; clean, dry lots free from 

 filthy wallows, but provided with a self -dipping device ; a liberal 

 use of disinfectants in the houses and of air-slaked lime in the 

 lots, will go a long way towards reducing the ravages of these 

 two diseases to a minimum. 



TUBERCULOSIS 



Tuberculosis is most prevalent among swine in those sections 

 where cattle are most affected. Great numbers of hogs are 

 condemned by the large packing-houses because of this disease, 

 more than from all other diseases combined, and the percentage 

 is increasing year by year until at present it is thought that about 

 three per cent are being thrown out. 



Manner of spreading the disease. — The tubercular germ gains 

 entrance to the bodies of various animals in different ways. 

 Thus in the case of man and also cattle, the germ may be either 

 inhaled or taken in with the food, while in the case of swine the 

 germ gains entrance by the food alone. It is very seldom that 

 the disease starts by the germs being inhaled. This being true, 

 the disease should be very easily controlled in swine. The chief 

 sources of infection among swine are the skim-milk from a tuber- 

 cular cow, the grain in the droppings of a cow or steer infected 



