Bellevue gazette. [volume] (Bellevue City, N.T. [i.e. Neb.]) 1856-1858, 1857-04-30
THE FARMER.
Hog Diseases.

During The last year or more n very
destructive epizootic has prevailed among
the hogs throughout considerable portions
Of the Ohio Valley. From the sudden and
great fatality which attends the disease,
and its similarity, in som respects, TO the
cholera in the human family, it has been
called the hog cholera or plague.
II is a little remarkable that when such
imense numbers of valuable animals have
been so suddenly swept of by this disease,
that so few men of science have taken
upon themselves the duty TO investigate It's
cause and character, with a view 10 find
on, a remedy or preventive.
The accounts that have reached us of
this disease, have generally been confined
to the hogs fed at distilleries, but whether
il had its origin in these establishments or
not, we have no authentic information.
That fatal diseases should originate among
swine, kept as they are at these places,
is not at all TO be wondered at; the won
der is that they are not more frequent.
But whether this disease had its origin in
the distilleries or not, il has not been con-
fined to them alone, for it has prevailed on
many Of the neighboring farms through
out the infected districts, and large mum
bers Of valuable animals have been lost
by il,
The only description of the character
of this disease, that has reached us, is
from the pen of George Sutton, we pre-
sumo an M. d., of Aurora, Ind, which
appeared in a late number Of the Cincin-
natl Gazette. lie appears 10 have made
quite a thorough investigation by repeated
examinations Of the internal organs of the
diseased animals, and finds that their ap-
pearances are various, rs the SYMPTOMS are
different. From an examination of forty
seven hogs that died of this disease, he
scarcely found two that presented precisely
the same appearance.
We have not the space to give the full
details OF these examinations, but we will
furnish cur readers the most important
facts, with some suggestions touching the
means Of prevention and cure.
So far as information las been receiv-
ed by Mr.. Sutton, that disease has pre-
vailed in Indiana in the counties of Ohio,
Switzerland, Ripley, and Dearborn. In
Ohio in the counties of Montgomery, But
Ter, Hamilton and Clinton. In Kentucky
in the counties of Kenton, Boon and Gal
latin. We have heard of some instances
where it has extended to the interior
among a considerable number of farmers.
To give an idea Of the number of hogs
that have died, the losses at the following
places are stated: At Ingraham's distillery
from the LIST of August to the Oath of Oc-
;ober, 1885 had died. Al the distiilery
in Petersburg, KY, since the 18th of Oc-
,ober, 2.576. Mr.. Pate, Of Rising Sun,
lost 500; Mr.. Slumer, Of Covington, 500,
Messrs. Gatf, of Aurora, 4,546. AT
New Richmond, since the disease made
its appearance, l0,435 have died, and in
the vicinity of Aurora, 5000 have died,
making an aggregate; so far as accounts
have been received, of 10000 hogs, val
ued at $500, 900 and when fatted would
have been worth $500, 000.
From experiments made at Aurora, it
is stated hat the disease is more violent
upon hogs that are fed On dry corn than
those fed ON slop. The average num-
Der that died in the pens, hat had been
fed on slop, was from 33 to SIS per cent.
The avarage number fed upon corn, that
died, is put down at from go to as per
cen.
1t is proved that the disease is conlag.
ious, and that the latest period of contagion j,
about thirteen days. 1t is also a|scertaineC
that the pens in which diseased hogs have
been IN will retain the infection, in warn
weather, for more than four days, anC
probably from ten to twenty. Another
very important fact has been ascerlained
that a hog is not subject to the disease bu
once. Not an instance has been noticed
where one has been attacked the secont
time.
In one instance, one hundred hogs wer,
put'nto a pen by themselves and fed on corr
and water for thirty days during which
time they all remained well. They wer,
then put into pens with diseased hogs, anS
in fourteen days the disease made its ap
pearance among them. DIR. Sutton innoc
ulated eight hogs with blood from diseased
parts of hogs that had died of this disease
in fourteen days they were all unwell
and one died, and all died within a weel
of each other, with the exception of one
which recovered.
Although this disease proves so infec
tious to hogs, it seems very conclusive tina
it cannot be communicated to the human
system. While dissecling the disease,
hogs, DIR. Sutton several times wounded hi
hands, which readily healed without an,
extraordinary inflammation, and the mel
who were constantly at work among then
were not affected by the disease.
AS a preventative, it is suggested that
diseased hogs should at once be separated
from the healthy ones, and when diseas,
is prevailing in a neighborhood, farmer