The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-12-12
PREVENTING HOG CHOLERA.

"A "ceh VI WV dSo, says 1NG OttO-
wd (Ill.) Free Trader, we stated, on
the authority of The Sheridan Neaos-
letter, that John Armstrong, Esq, of
that town, had discovered what he be-
lieved to be sovereign cure for hog
cholera. Nothing was indicated as to
the nature of the remedy, and we were
left in the dark until few days ago,
when we happened to meet Mr.. Arm
strong, and obtained from him the fol.
lowing particulars:
Two years ago, he says, he lost from
one-hundred and fifty to one-hundred
and seventy-five hogs by what is call
ed hog cholera. About that time he
attended meeting of the National
Grange at Richmond, Va, and while
there also dropped in at a sitting or
two of a convention of physicians at
which the cause and cure of yellow fe-
yer was discussed. One of the most
plausible theories presented, in his es-
timation, of the cause of the disease,
was the parasite theory, and it occurr-
ed 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, ex-
hibiting all the symptoms 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 the fences
in the hottest place in the sun they
could find in day time and huddled up
close together at night, On examina-
ton he found them covered with lice
and with occasional patches of hair
stiff with nits. Not knowing but rath-
er suspecting that the lice were rather
result than a 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 I'M
guent of axle-grease, lard and sulphur,
and applied it warm with sponge.
On applying it many places were
found inflamed Oh the belly, inside the
thighs aud under the neck, with occas-
ional sores in the skin were inflamed.
Recalling the discussion of the Rich
mond 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 chillness of the
pigs that drove them to seek warm
places.
The first greasing worked we'll for
two weeks, but then the coughing re-
turned and the nits had apparently
brought forth new crop of lice. He
now prepared strong decotion of to-
bacco, copperas and sulphur-some
such preparation as is used to cure
scab on Sheppard sponged them
with it. 1t killed the larger lice. but
did not affect the small ones or nits.
The sulphur settled at the bottom and
was rather in the way. But by this
time nearly all traces of inflammation
had disappeared.
He now bethonght him of another
preparation which would end the lice
business. He took three pounds of to-
bacco and boiled it until all the
strength was extracted. straining out
all the leaves; then adding four pounds
of copperas boiled down as low as he
thought safe not to burn; then adding
about two gallons Of grease or tallow,
boiled or simmered the water out. To
this, when ready to apply, he added
two gallons of lubricating oil and two
gallons of coal tar, heating but being
careful not to bring to boil. This
mixture applied with sponge, being
careful to touch every part where a
nit might find Judgement, effectually
disposed Of the parasites, and thence
forth his pigs began rapidly to i'm
prove and are now as healthy as any
in the country. The same ointment
was applied to one-hundred and twen-
ty-five of his sons hogs. that were also
badly affected with the disease, with
equally happy results. The hogs, af-
ter being thus treated and cured, were
changed to new quarters and given
new beds, and no return of the parasite
is now apprehended.
Whether others whose hogs are af-
fected with the cholera meet with equal
success in pursuing the same treat
ment remains to be tested. If they do
Mr.. Armstrong may congratulate HIM
self on being public benefactor by
making the discovery, though he may
not have been selfish enough to have
it patented and thus made the means