The very first pigs were brought by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage in 1493. They used the pigs for two main things back then, their meat and skins. The meat was for food and the skins were used as leather in a variety of things like sacks, clothing and shoes. Today the pigs skin and meat are still used, but there are some 500 different things made from pig parts. Pork has gone from being just a meat to a product that makes a big difference in the industrial and pharmaceutical fields.
Pharmaceuticals rank second only to meat itself in the important contributions hogs make to society.
In total, hogs are a source of nearly 40 drugs and pharmaceuticals. Hogs are used in the making of medicines to help the adrenal glands, the blood, the brain, the gall bladder, the heart, the intestines, the liver, the ovaries, the skin, the stomach, the thyroid gland, the pineal gland, the pituatary gland and the pancreas gland. Hogs also make a very significant contribution to the world of industrial and consumer products. Hog by-products are sources of chemicals used in the manufacturing of a wide range of products which cannot be made elsewhere. And of course, pigskin is used as a high quality leather for clothing, shoes, handbags, sporting goods, upholstery and so on.