The Van Buren press., 1859-09-21
From the Valley Fsvmer.
Hog Cholera.

be regarded as an ll-founded theory. dis
playing no little ignorance of animal phys
iology. Some distinguished Professors and
N. DIS have attributed it to worms in the
intestines, and others to causes equally ILL
founded. The disease is now making most
destructive inroads upon the herds of swine
in various portions of Kentucky, and we
have been requested by number of farmers
who have suffered material loss by it to sug-
gest some remedy. or, if possible, means of
prevention. We have examined but few
cases that have died of the disease, and find
that it is more easy to determine what it is
not than what it Is. OF all that we have
met with ON the subject from professional
men, the following from the Asser;can
Hetsrinoyys ,yossvnai, by Thos w Gordon,
N. D, of Georgetown. Ohio, seems to pre-
sent the most intelligent and reasonable di-
ognosis. If this is correct it should, GER
tainly, give as confidence in the proposed
prescription by the same author. He says:
=" Hog Cholera" is misnomer. The
disease is not cholera, nor does it assirnilate
to that disease
When was first applied to for some
remedy for hogs affected with the disease,
it was by personal friend, whose stock
was suffering from its attacks, and had to
rely upon the symptoms given by him; and,
after the action of the remedy, from the
large number of worms voided by the ami
mails, l believed those parasites to be the
cause bu: having afterwards noticed ami
mails affected by the disease, thought the
diagnosis incorrect. and then obtained re-
suits from the most minute examinations Of
many that were suffering from the disease,
as well as those that had died from it, that
changed my opinion.
The disease is a low. or typhoid in fam
nation of the lungs. Many of the animals
die without suppuration occurring and in
other cases, the lungs are found in hepa-
tized condition. Others pass from the hep
atized to the suppurative stage, and show
abcesses, large or small, and in some in
stances, almost an entire loss of one or both
lungs. while the intestinal canal of the
small intestines, is studded with military
eruption, which, in some instances, had un-
dergone the suppurative process; in either
stage, no doubt, helping to produce, if not
producing. the diarrhea which frequently
accompanied the disease. Diarrhna is,
however, not always present Sometimes
constipation is an accompaniment, and in
such cases, the disease usually terminates
fatally, much sooner than when the animal
is affected with the diarrhea.
High febrile action is usually present,
and very frequently the skin of the affected
animal becomes dark colored, showing a
purplish. OF lead colored hue upon the back,
legs, ears. or snout, or in all those parts,
caused, no doubt, by the non liberalization
of the blood.
Some hogs have recovered after the circu-
lation had become so languid that their ears
dropped from their heads.
l have no doubt but some of the cases
attacked, would be benefited by dissimi-
lar course of treatment from that pursued in
other cases for as mentioned above, all are
not attacked precisely the same way. o., at
least, the symptoms first noticed are not ex-
actly the same. A few die Immediately af
ter they are attacked, or at most, very soon
after they appear sufficiently unwell to at
tract attention-probably from intense, or
very great congestion of the lungs, that be-
ing the only appearance of diseased action
more apt to die thus than ordinary stock
hogs.
A most thorough trial has been made,
under my direction, for two seasons, of the
following remedial agents, and although the
medicine has been used for several hundred
animals, but five or SIX of the number have
died, so far as have been able to learn.
In some instances, very many of lot
had died, and the rest nearly or all sick,
when the medicine was administered, and
no more died. In another instance, when
a part were sick and others well, the sick
ones recovered ard the we'll ones did not take
the disease. In other instances, some of a
lot took the disease after the remedy had
been given, but whether those that were af-
forwards attacked had partaken of the rem
edy is little doubtful, as the whole stock
were fed together and among those per-
sons who have fed the remedy to their
stock, are those who most confidently be-
lieve an animal will not take the disease if
he has taken the medicine for two or three
days.
1t has frequently been the means of saw
ing very many hogs in this section Of the
country, but do not suppose it or any 9th.
er remedy will save all that are affected yet
others who have fed this medicine to their
stock believe it will do it.
The remedy ordered is not precisely
per Sc chemically; but am not certain that
the decomposition occurring in the ami
malls stoinach) when the different ingredi-
ents unite, may not be more beneficial. OF
of some service; at all events it has appa-
rently answered an excellent purpose.
herewith annex the formula I have used,
hoping it may be as beneficial to the many
as it has been to the few:
R.-Ferri Sulph. lb. j. (Copperas, l lb).
Potasse Nitrates, lb. j. (Salpetre, lb)
Zingiber Pulv. lb. IS. (Ginger 12 lb).
Grind or otherwise finely pulverize the
iron and potash, then add the ginger. Give
to each animal teaspoonful every day when
bad, or once in two or three days if used as
preventive.
think it is rather better to give medi
cine in dry meal or bran than to give it in
slop, although many have thus fed it. Il
will be of little or no service to small pigs
of little benefit to breeding sows, encieate
and possibly an injury.
While speaking of the benefits derived
from Sulph. Ferri. and Nit. Potasse te
hogs, it may be Of service to some Of youl
i 4 IL r -