Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-12-05
Preventioa OF Disease in Swine.

Prevention OF Disease In Swine.
Hogs are seldom diseased when
they are allowed to wander through
the fields and woods, for they know
the remedies that are necessary at
the appearance ofthe first symptoms
of sickness, and they are very
prompt in making use of them. An
intelligent farmer in England, see
ing one of his hogs lying sick in the
pen, laid spadetul OF earth near its
nose. The hog got up and began
to eat it greedily. A spadetul of
cinders was then introduced. This
was eaten grecdily, which caused
the animal to vomit copiously, and
in few hours it was quite well.
When hogs are shut up in a paw
ed or plank pen, they ought to be
supplied with diet as nearly resem-
bling their natural food as possible,
and especially with that which con-
tains a portion of sulphur. Common
mustard, or few plants Of wild
mustard, viii supply this; at other
times little radish, or the top rind
of Swedish or other turnips. A lit
tie flour or sulphur, or q teaspoon
full Of Glauber salts, may be mixed
with their food.
The cruciferous plants seem to be
especial favorites with swine, for
they contain small portions of acrid
vegetable oil, having sulphur in its
composition. Horse-radish is ex-
tremely useful to them, and they
are very fond of it. 1t is said that
the breath of 4 healthy hog always
smells Of horse-radish, even when
the animal has no access to that
plant. The peculiar smell of the
horse radish arises from the sulphur
Gus volatile Oil III it.
OF all the domesticated animals,
swine are most subject to acidlty Of
the stomach. They come to matur-
ity so rapidly, and lay on SO much
fat, that they need much more atten-
ton than is generally bestowed on
them when shut up and fed on arti-
ficlai food. The swine is not natur-
ally \ lover Of filth; the den or lair
of the wild boar, and the bed of the
wild sow, are clean. The domestic
hog, when subjected to mans mis-
management, is driven to wallow in
the mire, the alkaline properties of
which have soothing effect on the
skin. Whey and sour milk make
very nutritious food for pigs. These
contain a considerable portion Of the
sulphuric and phosphoric acids nee
essary to build up their frames.
But this food, when the animals are
deprived Of exercise, produces acid
ity of the stomach, and acidity in
jures the coats ofthe stomach, weak
ems the bones, and initiates the
fluids. AS corrective Of this evil,
a small sprinkling of powdered
chalk should be mixed with the food.
"A little sulphur should be mixed
with the food once week, to pre-
vent diseases of the skin.
The sickness of the hog above re-
ferred to, was no doubt occasioned
by acidity of the stomach, and the
earth was eaten to counterfeit its eff
fects. The coal cinders contained
as much sulphur as formed sulphur
cited hydrogen in the stomach, and
caused vomiting.
Sulphuret of anthony, called
black anthony, is too often given
to hogs by persons ignorant Of its
effect and action. When sweating
is necessary, it may be as useful as
any other medicine, the dose being
proportional to the size of the hog.
White antimonial powder has near
ly the same properties as black an
timony; as it has neither smell nor
taste it is more readily taken. In
the hands of a practitioner emetic
tartar may be useful, but it is not a
medicine for common use, it being
very powerful.
Some persons arc very liberal in
administering medicines to hogs,
dosing them repeatedly to sweat
away disease, when they are sick,
vet, as soon as the patients recover
returning to the same careless and
improper management which pro-
duces the disease. Prevention is
better than cure. When roaming
through the woods and prairies, the
hog is his own physician; but con-
fined in a yard or pen, he should be
supplied with preventatives Of the
various diseases to which he is sub
iect. A mixture OF earth and chalk
should always be within his reach.
Coal-ashcs, or powdered charcoal,
are also essential. Salt should be
given daily in small quantities. A
few grains of nitre have been found
beneficial in warm weather. Per-
feet cleanliness should be observed,
and food and drink should be given
with regularity, and at suitable in
tervals. A proper condition of the
bowels should be kept up. BY at
tending to these particulars, the
health of swine would be preserved
- I o,,1l 80 l. r ,ruoh about