The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-11-02

have been taken nearly at random, are worthy
OF special notice as indicating the particular
characteristics of a contagion,
There is no cOntaglon with which we Srt
acquainted due to a suitable invisible materis,
morbi to which rs a rule the victims are subjec,
To u second attack, There are indeed few
VINO will take smallpox, scarlet fever yellow
fever cholera &c. more than once--a very
few even several times; but tie rUie is, that
! those having had these contagious diseases
once, and recovering, are not liable to sec
ond attack.
Accordingly the testimony Of Mr.. Bruce and
Mr. Adams is clear and to the point, that hogs
are not liable to a second attack. Once intro
duccd, all have it except those previously af
tcctcd.' THIS testimony is corroboratcd by
that of many other witnesses to the same point,
aS given in this correspondence.
Again, we believe that contagious diseases
have what is called Il period of incubation
ranging from a few hours, as sometimes in
cholera, to three weeks or more, rs III typhoid
fever. The usual time for measles and small.
poX Is thirteen days; for varcella, fifteen days
for cholera and yellow fever, about four days,
The disease under consideration also has its
period of incubation
Mr. Canterbury says, 1.-THE cholera was
brought to my farm; the lot (of hogs having
| it) remained in my pens two days, when had
them removed. In three or four days my hogs
which were healthy began dying, making a
period of six and half days from date of IN
lection till death.
Mr. DorScy's hogs got out and went to .
neighbours where the disease prevailed, and in
fourteen days they began to die, and fourteen
after the rest were exposed, they began to die.
Mr. Williams had a neghbOr mile away,
who's hogs were attacked. In two weeks an
other nclghbor's hogs half way between, were
attacked, and In two weeks more his own were
attacked Mr.. Marquis hogs began to die
about four weeks after exposure. Mr.. Albright's
hogs took disease nine days after possible ex-
posture.
These observations do not fix the period of
incubation definitely If we allow that Mr.
Dorsev'4 and Mr.. Canterbury's hogs were sick
three days previous to dying, the period OF
incubation would he in these cases respective
" eleven and three or four days; while those
of Mr. Marquis were exposed about four weeks
before they began to die. The average time
thus far observed would give a period Of in.
lcubation of nine to eleven days.
The observation of Mr.. Dinsmoor would 60
to show that the poison under consideration,
| like that of the other contagia, may remain
active and capable of infection for long time
Since -four months after the death OF the last
| hog by cholera, Others hogs brought IN took
the disease in nine days" If it can retain lis
power of infection for -four months it may
retain it for longer periods, and those dealing
! in stock would do well to bear such posi-
blity in mind
! One fact we think worthy Of notice, suggest
ed by the observation of Dnsmoor. He had
reason to believe that the contagiOn had been
/ brought Tn Mr clothes of u man from an infect
| cd herd fourteen miles to his own herd. This
accOrls well with what is known Of the trans
INSTABILITY of other contagious, and would
probably account for many cases of infection
not hitherto understood That it must be
. TRANSPORTED by some means from one herd &c
another is certain, and stock men would dc
well to guard against every possible means O
transfer and spread of disease
In conclusion allow Us to say how import
ant that these observations be extended. 1t i:
said that !" an 0Hjmdt ch0leW las He'er yc
6een ScientifcaHy esta6Iished." 0ebert) Whcth
cr the disease under consideration be a tru,
cholera or not, we think the facts are rapidly
accommodating which will establish its infect
ious nature, beyond reasonable doubt, bu
more extended and more careful observation
are needed to corrobOrate those already made
and to ascertain more definitely the methods
of its communication from herd to herd.
VIII not the State Board of Agriculture ap
point Il commission whose duty it should be
to make observations and to conduct repeated
experiments, by incubation and otherwise
with il view of acquiring II better knowledge
of the nature and causes Of the disease. If i
be indeed prevcntablc disease, AZ we believe
it is, how important that the country be in
formed at once, or soon a. possible, OF the hes
means of prevention. There are literally mil
hon, in it," and We believe the State BoarC
could hardly do a better thing than to author
iZc NMCh an lnNnlrN.