DISEASE IN GENERAL 211 



is the examiner's opinion as to the probable result of the disease, 

 may be made. The prognosis may be favorable, unfavorable, 

 or uncertain and can be pronounced with accuracy only for an 

 individual case. 



THE PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF DISEASE 



Prophylaxis is the art of preventing the occurrence and exten- 

 sion of disease. The term is similar in meaning to, but is not 

 synonymous with, hygiene. 



Hygiene is the art of conserving and promoting the health. 

 It teaches how to strengthen the animal organism and increase 

 its powers of natural resistance. 



Much more attention is now being given to the prevention 

 and control of disease than ever before. This is the result of a 

 better knowledge of disease processes which has been afforded by 

 the valuable contributions to the study of bacteriology and 

 pathology. We have come to realize that it is much more eco- 

 nomical to keep our animals free from disease than to wait until 

 they get sick and then spend both time and money to restore 

 them to health. 



The difference between a herd or flock kept free from disease 

 and one in which disease is more or less prevalent represents the 

 difference between profit and loss in the business of live stock 

 production. Even if the farmer has plenty of capital he cannot 

 make a success if he neglects to recognize the causes of diseases 

 and fails to use the most up-to-date preventive and remedial 

 measures to control them. On the other hand, if the farmer has 

 limited means and does not take these things into consideration, 

 he must sooner or later meet a heavy loss from sickness and 

 death in his stock. This is certain to result in great financial 

 loss and may even force him out of business entirely. 



While preventive measures may be instituted to guard animals 

 against all classes of diseases, they are particularly effective 

 against those caused by microorganisms. In fact all germ dis- 

 eases can be prevented if steps are taken, before infection occurs, 

 to destroy the specific organism. To succeed in this, it must 

 be understood that the main breeding place of disease-producing 

 germs is in the body and not in manure piles, sewers, marshes, 

 and other filthy places; although dark, sunless buildings do 

 afford conditions favorable to their development. Experiments 



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