The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-11-08
HOG CHOLERA,

A week or TWO ago the FREE TRADER stat
ed, on the authority of the Sheridan Ne,osletteo,
that John ). Armstrong, Esq, of that town,
had discovered what he believed to be SOW
creign cure for hog cholera. Nothing was in
dictated as to the nature of the remedy and we
were left in the dark until few days ago,
when we happened to meet Mr. Armstrong
and obtained from him the following particu-
lars:
Two years ago, he says, he lost from $50 to
40 hogs by what is called hog cholera About
that time he attended a meeting of the Nation
al Grange at Richmond, Va, and while there
also dropped in at a sitting or two of q conven-
ton of physicians at which the cause and cure
OF yellow fever were discussed. One of the
most plausible theories presented, in his es,l-
nation, of the cause of the disease, was the
parasite theory, and it occurred to him that if
the problem as to the origin of yellow fever
could be solved by that theory why might not
the equally difficult one in regard to the origin
of hog cholera be solved IN the same way?
An opportunity to test the matter occurred
in September last. Again his pigs and shoats
commenced dying, exhibiting all the symp-
toms they had shown the year before OF hog
cholera. Instead of seeking shady places and
the cool wallow, they would be found lying on
the south side of fences, in the hottest place in
the sun they could find in daytime and hud.
died up closely together at night. On exam
nation he found them covered with lice and
with occasional patches of hair stiff with nits
Not knowing, but rather suspecting, that the
lice were rather a result than the cause of the
disease, he nevertheless decided that the first
thing to be done was to get rid of the lice. To
this end he prepared an unglent of axle-grease,
lard and sulphur and applied it warm with a
sponge On applying it many places were
found intlamed on the belly inside the CHS
and under the neck, with occasional sores in
the skin where infamed. Recalling the dis
custom of the Richmond doctors, it occurred
to him whether the spores or parasites they
spoke Of had not consumed the best blood of
the pigs and the lice were a secondary stage of
the disease. Both had so impoverished the
blood that the lungs were evidently affected, |
causing the cough and chilliness of the pigs
that drove them to seek warm places
The first greasing worked well for two
weeks, but then the coughing returned and
the nlts had apparently brought forth a new
crop of lice. He now prepared strong de-
coctlon of tobacco, copperas and sulphur
some such preparation as is used to cure scab
on sheep-and sponged them with it, 1t kill
ed the larger lice, but did not affect the small
ones or nits. The sulphur settled at the bot
tom and was rather in the way But by this
time nearly all traces of inflammation had {
&
He now bethought him Of another prepare
ion which would end the ice business. He
.sok three pounds of tobacco and boiled it I'm. |
Ill all the strength was extracted, straining
out all the leaves then adding four pounds of l
boiled that down as low as he
thought safe not to burn; then adding about
TWO gallons of grease or tallow boiled or SIM
mered the water out. To this, when ready to t
apply, he added two gallons Of lubricatng {
oil and two gallons of coal tar, heating, but
being careful not to bring it to a boil This
mixture, applied with sponge, beng careful {
10 touch every part wherea louise or nit might
find Judgement, effectually disposed of the para
SITES and thencetorth his pigs began rapidly s
10 improve and are now as healthy as any in
The country The same ointment was applied
10 1875 of his sons hogs, that were also badly
affected with the disease, with equally happy
results. The hogs, after being thus treated and {
'ured, were changed to new quarters and given
new beds, and no return of the parasites is now
,pprehended,
Whether others whose hogs are affected with
he cholera meet with equal success in pursu,
ng the same treatment, remains to be tested.
If they do, Mr.. Armstrong may congratulate {
himself on being public beneiactor by max {
ng the discovery, though he may not have l
been selfish enough to have 1t patented and c
hus made the means of bringing him a for
une before giving 1t to the public. |