Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-12-22
Hog Cholera, and that Sort of
thing

tHInk.
Perhaps no other subject connected
with the stock farm has been 80 seriously
or acrimoniously debated as that of an
thrax fever, vulgarly called hog cholera.
Permit me to contribute my mite to the
redoubtable controversy. Many theories
have been started, and it is common in the
absence OF exact information, to assign for
any event the causes that lie nearest at
hand, and this is all | propose to do. An
Illinois farmer, some years ago, suggest
ed that the presence of the disease in his
region was due to the hogs feeding too
much on army worms, with which the
country was infested. and prescribed asa
futlda and red pepper. Equally astound-
ing is a theory found recently in the agri-
cultural columns of the Daily Journal,
which is that the disease is attributable to
an overlooking of hogs on new corn.
Briefly, let me tell OF this anthrax fever.
The animal is first noticed to droop, the
dropping being especially marked as to
the ears. The breathing is short and hur.
ried, as in any fever. and the breath fe-
It'd stencil. The mucus membrane of the
nostrils, mouth and throat is dry, hard
and crimson; the excavations bright
green. At later stage there are purple
spots on the skin. indicating gangrenous
symptoms, after which, treatment seems a
bootless labor.
In the summer OF 1874 choice number
of shoats, pets, that had been washed
with soap suds, and were clean of skin,
snowy OF color. and playful with health,
were turned into fresh white-stubble
field. In a few hours these symptoms be-
gan to appear in them. and in two days
thew were dead. After wheat threshing,
the same year, when the hogs had access
to the screenings, the mortality broke out
afresh. with a consequent loss of num-
Der OF them. The same result is more
frequently observed to follow the feeding
of new corn. What then are the causes
that lie nearest Mt hand The wheat of
that year was notably full of ergot, or
smut. In corn this fungus attains its
greatest size, and the consequences OF
feeding it are more marked. For saying
that it produces exactly the SYMPTOMS de-
scribed there is high authority. Cham
bers' Encyclopedia describes its effects
thus. "Ergot is poison, sometimes pro-
ducing commissions, followed by death,
sometimes gangrene of the extremeties,
resulting in mutilation or in death" II
the cause assigned is the true one, the fact
that the new corn is more dangerous than
old is susceptible OF an easy explanation.
A field of corn near by was, late in Sep
TENDER, noticed to be full of smut. A
month later it was entirely clear of it.
The husk inclosing it had burst, the
powder had dried and was blown away
by the winds, or washed to the ground by
the rains.
A practical inquiry is how to deal with
the danger. An application of the ounce
of prevention, which is confessedly better
than pound of cure. is the first sugges.
ton. It is the ready verdict OF reason
and common sense that the first thing to be
done is to leave off raising ergot with
corn or other grain fed to hogs. This, OF
course, involves work. wisdom. care and
patience, TIE indispensable conditions OF
success in all undertakings. A second
would recommend studious attention to
the laws OF health. such as would give
large liberty to the hogs. and frequent
changes of feeding-places. The water
should be wholesome. Running water
as is well known, is common carrier Of
the infection. Soap suds. ashes and wood
coal. may be fed with healthiul results
But the most studious care will not always
ward off the disease. The Infection is
often hidden and always diffusive. 1t is
| important that the disease be fought
in its first stages. With the writer,
very successful treatment has been q
liberal dose of calomel, followed with
carlo vegetables. Four-ffths of all seized
recovered under it. and the failures were
where the treatment did not begin till
after the appearance of gangrenous symp-
toms. Carbon, another name for char
coal. is well-known household agen,
employed tor disinfecting and arresting
decay En- paSseaa, among a number
Of sick hogs one year was 8
praiseworthy old dame. gone to skeleton.
nursing numerous brood of pigs. She
lay down, as was believed to die. The
tenacity with which she held on to life
was something remarkable. and careful
examination. assisted by an expert,
showed her disease to be pneumonia. She
was put upon a treatment of pulsatilla,
daily shifted from side to side, all her per-
sonal comforts carefully looked after. and
in about six weeks, she was again upon
her feet, and lived to rear other numerous
broods. aud at last to be driven to market,
an enormous animal. weighing in the
neighborhood of 700 pounds. 1t is error
IN call avarv disaaso that invadaS q hnn