The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1853-04-05
9or tbe 1armfrs.
From the Farmer DC Planter.
Diseases of Swine.


Diseases of Swine.
GENTLEMES-I have long intended to write
something to fill your columns; but have not
been able to choose any subject which thought
would interest your readers. Having to renew
nv subscription, and having lately had some
thing to do with sick hogs, have determined
to pen few lines on the diseases OF swine
In an experience of more than 20 years, |
have found the hog subject to three principal
diseases-that is, lst, catarrhal fever with IN
famed throat and lungs, ID, inflammation OF the
stomach and small intestines; Sd, poisoned by
eating mushrooms have lost great many
hogs from each of these diseases. 4 DO not
pretend to have made any discovery OF sure
cure for any of them; yet it may be that what
/ shall say, may be of service to some of your
readers. Aud first, the infamed throat and
lungs-it may be called Influenza. In this, on
dissection, the throat or lungs, and sometimes
both at the same time, are found to be intiamed.
/ have, seen puss or matter around the throat
The symptoms are wheeling and cough, fever
and want of appetite. These symptoms are
well well marked and easily known. TREAT
mEsr-It is difficult task to physic hog,
at least have found it SO; SO much so that
when force is required, have generally tailed
and do not now often try it. And in this dis
ease, forcing any thing down them, has always
seemed to do them harm. The treatment
commonly adopt has been bleeding, by cutting
off the ears and tail close to the body. have
bled in the arm, but it is difficult indeed l
know of no safe and easy way of getting
blood. have been told they will bleed freely
by forcing a penknife . or "a inches between
the fore teeth and upper lip. But to proceed:
bleed, if you can, early in the disease, after
which have given from 2 to 6grains OF tartar
emetic, according to the age and violence OF
the attack-to a shoat six months old 2 grains
"a year old and upward to grains; repeat
every morning until there is an amendment,
&c. In very bad cases it may be given twice
a day. 1t can be given in a little mush or any
thing the hog will take. There is nothing new
in this treatment, except applying it to the
hog. It is modification of that adopted by
by many physicians in the human subject for
a similar disease.
ID, Inflammation of the stomach and small
;utestines.-This will be ascertained by dissec-
ton. Its symptoms before death are not very
clear. The hog refuses to eat, perhaps more
decidedly than in any other disease. He droops
and lies almost constantly, appearing very
ayerse to moving about. have been only
able to detect it by dissecting the first one
that dies may have had solitary cases un-
der different circumstances, but SO far l have
never detected it except when my hogs have
had the run of pea fields, where there were
many rotten peas. Dr.. M. w. Philips says
rotten or rottng peas "will kill hogs" and
when they do, | suspect it is by producing in
flamation of the stomach and bowels. DIR.
P. says it has happened to him after long con-
tinued wet spells PREvENTIoN.-Feed your
hogs with corn when in field of rotting peas,
or take them off altogether. TREATMENT
1t is only with the three last cases that had
adopted any treatment-the first case was far
advanced and died-the other two recovered
two had died before. They were bIed by cut
ting off their ears and tails, and had from 10
TO 20 grains of calomel every day or two. 1t
may be given in mush bat some of these re
fused to take any thing but raw flesh, and the
calome was given in pieces Of rabbit flesh
When they would eat at ALL they were fed
mostly with Cruel made Of second quality -four,
and some milk was added. They absolutely
refused corn for several days. They had
warm beds under shelter.
Sd, PoisonedJy naushrooms - Like the pea,
mushrooms appear not to hurt the hog except
when they are rotting. There is another re-
semblance-it is in long warm wet spells III
the summer months that they do the mischief
am unable to give the symptoms, neither have
made any dissections. 1t is probable they
also produce inhamation of the stomach and
bowels, and in tha. case might be treated as
above. PREVENTION. it may be truly
said Gan ounce Of prevention is worth pound
of cure" for know of no cure. Keep them
in grass fields and out Of the woods during
those spells of weather that favor the growth
of the mushrooms Since have adopted this
plan have lost very few.-TREATMENT:-l
have said I know of no cure. A watchful
neighbor of mine puts them up in pens, and
gives them nothing to drink but water having
epson salts dissolved in it, and feeds them with
sour dough. He is satisfied this is good treat
ment. Ny hog feeder says he has cured two
by cutting off their ears and tails. have
heard of their being drenched with hogs fat.
Will some of your medical readers give us the
appearance on dissection, and plan of cure
based on that9 Surely the subject deserves
attention. My own experience is that domes-
tic animals, for similar diseases, should be
treated very much like the human subject.
LAURESs.