SWINE-PLAGUE, or Hon CHOLERA, an infectious disease produced by a bacteroid schizophyte, a microscopic organism having the power of indefinite multiplication in the system. The symptoms and pathological conditions vary considerably, depending upon the virulence of the disease, this depending very greatly upon the number of ani mals kept together, crowding greatly aggravating the disease. At the commencement of the attack the animal is generally seized with a shivering, which may last from a few i minutes to several hours. There is also frequent sneezing and more or less coughing. The temperature of the body is also increased, ranging from 104° to 106° Fahr. but this symptom is variable, and not to be relied upon; and it is difficult to ascertain the tem perature of a hog. The shivering, coughing, and sneezing are soon followed by loss of appetite and the rough appearance of the coat. Drooping of the ears is characteristic, and sometimes the animal attempts to vomit. Swelling of the head often takes place, and eruptions appear on the ears and other parts of the body. There is frequently bleed ing from the nose, swelling of the eyelids and partial or total blindness, accelerated breathing; sometimes constipation, and sometimes diarrhea. There is rapid emaciation, and a vitiated appetite for dung and dirt, and a peculiar, offensive odor to the exhala tions which is characteristic. This odor is so penetrating as to be observed in a large herd at the distance of half a mile. On examining the chest by auscultation a rubbing sound is heard which indicates inflammation of the pleural membrane. Sometimes there is extensive ulceration and sloughing of the snout and gums. If the subjects have been recently ringed with wire in the nose, the wounds thus made have a great tendency to ulcerate, and the dikase may be communicated through wounds or abrasions of any kind. Post-mortem examinations reveal more or less hepatization of the lungs, with accumulation of blood, serum, and exudation in the luno. tissue. Sometimes the solidifi cation from hepatization is sufficient to cause the lung lung sink in water. Sometimes the hepatization occurs only in isolated places, but sometimes extends over the whole lung. Gray and red hepatization may exist side by side. The lymphatic and mesenteric glands are always more or less enlarged. There is generally more or less exudation of plastic material, and more or less adhesion between the lung and the walls of the chest. Some times the adhesion involves the whole lung. The heart is generally more or less affected. Sometimes it is flabby and dilated, but more frequently congested, the capillaries, par ticularly of the auricles, being gorged with blood. Nearly all cases present charac teristic morbid changes in the upper part of the large intestine, consisting of ulcerous tumors of the mucous membrane, varying in size from a pin's head to that of a quarter of a dollar. The other intestines are similarly affected, although in a less degree. Ulcerous tumors are also sometimes found upon the gall bladder and upon the mucous membrane of the stomach. The serous membrane of the abdominal cavity is also inflamed, so that there will be adhesions between different parts of the intestines, or between them and the peritoneal lining of the abdominal walls. Indeed, in the worst cases, it may be said that scarcely an organ escapes sufficiently not to exhibit lesions visible to the naked eye. A microscopic examination of the blood, or blood serum, or exudations, reveals great num bers of schizophytes in 'various stages of formation, some in separate minute globules, of micrococcus stage, some in aggregated masses, and some in bacillus rods. The disease is communicable to other animals by inoculation, and rats may contract it and cause it to spread. Dogs appear to have but little susceptibility, but do sometimes contract the disease. The extreme cold of winter checks the spread of the complaint, but the dis ease germs, or schizophytes, are not killed by it, although the thermometer may mark 30° below zero. The above information is chiefly taken from the reports of Dr. H. J. Detmers of Chicago to the governmental agricultural bureau at Washington; and the fol lowing is from a paper read before the state microscopical society of Illinois, April 8, and published in Science of May 7, 1881: "1. It has been and can be everywhere observed, where swine-plague is prevailing, that the infectious principle floating in the air is attracted and taken up by sores, wounds, and even scratches, but does not enter the animal organism through the whole skin and through perfectly healthy respiratory mucous membranes. 2. Antiseptics, or medicines which are either directly poisonous to the lower forms of organic life or destructive to those conditions under which low forms of organic life thrive and develop, and among those antiseptics, especially carbolic acid, i iodine, hyposulphite of soda, benzoate of soda, thymol, etc., have proved to constitute
almost sure prophylactics. . . Further, the various antiseptics which have proved to be good prophylactics are very dissimilar in their chemical affinities and actions, and their prophylactic effect cannot very well be explained if the infectious principle were a chemical agency, a virus, or a poison, but is explained if the same consist in something endowed with life and power of propagation. . . . 6. If the cause and infectious prin ciple of the swine-plague were a chemical poison or virus, one would suppose a cessa tion of the morbid process would be impossible, and an animal would never recover while ita organism contained an abundance of the infectious principle in an effective condition, as is undoubtedly the ease, because convalescents and animals nearly recovered frequently communicate the disease, even in a fatal form, to other healthy pigs. Further, the fact than an animal, once recovered, possesses but little predisposition for future infection, or is seldom attacked a second time, even if ever so much exposed, and then only contracts the disease in a comparatively mild form, could never be explained; but the whole presents an entirely different aspect, and admits of explanation if low and minute forms of org,anic life, such as the sellizophytes of swine-plague, which by devel oping and multiplying finally destroy or exhaust in an animal organism the conditions necessary to future development and propagation, constitute the cause and the infec tious principle." Dr. Detmers says that the swine-plague schizophytes, although having the same general characteristics when cultivated in fluids artificially as when developed in the animal, have less uniformity in size and develop rather slower. He concludes that they are less vigorous; and therefore when an animal is inoculated with them the disease produced is milder than when propagated in the ordinary manner, or by material taken from the body of a diseased hog. Sometimes, however, owing to other circum stances, inoculation with cultivated schizopliytes produces a virulent form of the disease. In regard to prevention, Dr. Detmers, in his report to the commissioner of agriculture, July, 1879, takes the ground that measures of extermination must be thorough. He advises: 1, " that a competent and reliable person he appointed in every county, or where a great many hogs are raised, and where the country is thickly settled, in every town ship, with authority to institute, superintend, and enforce a strict execution of such measures of extinction and prevention as may be authorized by law; 2, that every owner of hogs or pigs must be compelled by law to inform the above officer, say within 12 hours after the occurrence, of every case of swine-plague in his herd, or any herd, that may come to his knowledge; 3, that every hog or pig showing symptoms of swine-plague must be immediately destroyed and buried from 4 to 6 ft. deep, or cremated, and that all exposed hogs be kept under quarantine for several weeks or killed; 4, that all infected premises be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, and remain unoccupied for six weeks or two months; .5, that no hog or pig be allowed to run at large or to have access to running water if swine-plague has made its appearance within 10 m. ; 6, that railroad companies and other public carriers be forbidden to receive and load hogs from any township or county after having been notified by the proper officer that swine-plague is there existing, except by special permit of such officer, and various other restrictions. The treatment most relied on is good care, uncontaminated and pure food and water, perfect cleanliness, and separation front sick animals and all other sources of infection. Medicines avail but little, and patent quack nostrums are a curse." SWITEDIUNDt, a maritime and fortified t. of Prussia, province of Pommern, is situated on the island of Usedoin, at the entrance of the narrow channel of Swine, which connects the Grosses Haff (into which the Oder flows) with the Baltic. Swinemhnde as in some sense the port of Stettin (q.v.), carries on a considerable commerce, and has also valuable fisheries, but it is chiefly noted for its excellent sea-bathing, for which it is much frequented. Swinemunde has regular steam-communication with Stettin (daily),. Rtigen, and Copenhagen. The light-house of Swinemtinde is the loftiest in the world, being 210 feet high. Pop. of Swinemtinde '75, 8,045.