The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-11-21
WHENCE COMES pIseAsg2
A Question which Hog Owners She aid
Think About.

1t pays to. at times, ask question
and then put on the thinking cap and
try to answer it. Nor Wilt do any
harm if the question appears at first
sight the reverse of orthodox. for there
is a good deal of the latter article in the
world that will bear investigating and
thinking about. 1t does not pay to take
too much for granted merely because
somebody said SO, or, because it is the
prevailing belief. The truth is not in
iured by investigation nor are the
muscles of the organ of the mind likely
to be overtaxed by little quibbling at
accepted theories. We think we know
great deal until we begin to investi-
gate, but the more we think and
analyze the greater appears our igno-
rance.
Some things are self evident. others
are only supposed to be. We know
our hogs die; but why, we do not know.
We are sure they die of disease. but what
that disease is we are not sure of.
There must be cause for the disease.
OoN "idh bhetb ChuoC 10. nAthtt ~ SohAt<7
and why. is not so evident. There are
many causes and many diseases; many
deaths and much loss. and it behooves
all who grow swine to stop and ask
why and wherefore.
Whence comes disease? II we can
answer this question we are on the high
road to the successful solution of
great problem, and it must be both
| asked and correctly answered before
| the cause can be removed and a remedy
applied. Webster tells us that disease
is arrangement of any of the vital
| functions in which their natural action
is interrupted or disturbed. BY vital
| functions we mean the work of the vital
organs, by which life is sustained. The
| principal of these are the stomach and
the lungs.
In the living organism death is as
constant as life. That is to say, we
are ever dying whilst living; every
hearts beat exhausts vitality, hence
the necessity for food to supply the
loss. To preserve life in a normal con-
dition we must furnish such elements
as have been eliminated. If more of
one element is supplied and less of
others the equilibrium is disturbed, ma
ture is unbalanced. the vital functions
are deranged and disease is the result.
Pain is the great friend to life because
it tells that something is wrong 1t
does not tell what is wrong, for the
| head may ache when the stomach is
out of order, and boils exist when the
blood is impure and the natural func-
tions unable to carry off the impurity;
in which. to cure the head we must
correct the stomach and to get rid of
| the boils we must eliminate the impuri-
ties of the blood by natural processes.
In cold weather as in hot. nature
tries to preserve an equilibrium but to
| do so needs the wherewith to do it.
Heat producing food is required when
| the weather is cold and is not called for
when it is hot. To supply it when it is
| not wanted and not to furnish it when
called for, is to unbalance the vital
| functions and to create the condition
called disease.
Nature requires food. it has been OBJ.
served, to supply waste; we may add,
and to furnish the elements of growth
Only for these does she call for food.
| That portion of the animal organiza-
1
hausted the most, and calls for extra
help to supply the loss In state of
nature the muscular tissues are neces-
sarily taxed more than any other and
these are renewed by feeding. The
carcasses of wild animals are therefore
found one mass of muscular tissue,
or lean meat, and that is
their natural condition. During the
4 process of summer feeding they
may, if food is abundant, lay on some
fat, but if they do it is only an incum
brance to them, and of no manner of
service unless as supply of fuel for
consumption in winter, when food is
scarce and the cold exhaustive. Nature
supplies to such animals but little fat
forming food. 1t is only in state of
| domestication that animals are made
and kept fat, and in that condition they
carry that which is source of weak
ness instead OF strength, and of disease
rather than health. No man seeks fat
as source of strength, and though a
moderately stout man may be called
healthy looking, it is more apparent
than real. hence the more he has of it
the weaker he is, and the greater is the
arrangement of the vital functions
which we call disease. Do we ask then
whence comes disease in our hogs? We
answer, fat is condition of disease, and
the more fat the more disease. Col
mans Rural World.