130 LABORATORY BACTERIOLOGY 
IX 
DIAGNOSIS OF SWINE PLAGUE 
Swine plague is an infectious pneumonia of swine caused 
by Bact. suisepticus. The lesions are usually restricted to 
the lungs. The diagnosis is made from a bacteriological 
examination of the lungs. See Exercise XXIX for cultures. 
A very satisfactory method is to inoculate rabbits subcutane- 
ously with small pieces of the affected lung. They will die in 
from 18 hours to a few days, according to the virulence of the 
organism. From the heart blood, spleen, or liver pure cultures 
of the organism can be obtained. 
When sending to a laboratory for the diagnosis of swine 
plague the entire lungs and heart of the pig should be for- 
warded. As hog cholera is often associated with swine plague, 
it is desirable to send in addition to the lungs and heart the 
kidneys and such portions of the intestines as show any abnor- 
mal condition. 
