Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-11-07
CONCERNING HOG CHOLERA.

CONCERNING HOG CHOLERA.
DR.. A. A. Holcombe, state vetcrina-
rian of Kansas, writes under date of
Sept. %: Between thirty and forty
counties in the state are now infected
with hog cholera. The disease is rapid
ly spreading, causing the daily loss OF
thousands of valuable swine. Some
counties have already lost As much as
SAC, 900 from this cause. An impression
has gone abroad among the farmers and
swine -raisers of the state that this is
not cholera, but some new and fatal
disease. For some time prior to the
autumn of 1888 it was generally be-
lieved that Kansas was nearly, if not
entirely free from hog cholera. Late
in the summer, or during the early days
of autumn OF that year, few out
breaks were reported, but 50 small
were the losses that the matter attract
ed no attention. During the summer
of 1884 the disease rapidly spread, i'll
fecting counties in which it had never
been seen before, and causing the
death of more than 100000 worth of
swine. During the past winter but few
losses were reported from this disease,
for as is generally known cold weather
reduces the mortality to minimum.
But no sooner had the warm weather
of 1885 made Its appearance than the
repOrtsthat swine were dying in large
numbers where-everthe disease had pre-
vailed last year came pouring in, until
now new outbreaks are reported daily.
Hog cholera certainly does not origi-
nate spontaneously. 1t is specific
disease, as IS smallpox. scarlet fever,
measles, ETC., and, like these other dis
eases, it only makes its appearance
when animals susceptible of becoming
infected are exposed TO the contagion.
Filthy conditions and surroundings
may render animals more susceptible
to infection, and may favor the harbor-
ing of the disease germs on grounds
which have once been infected, but
they are as powerless to start this dis
ease as they are to originate horses,
hogs, or men. In every outbreak in
this state which have carefully traced
to the beginning, the disease has been
introduced along with hogs shipped
through ock-yards. That all inpor-
tant stock-yards are kept continually
infected with the germs of this disease
is readily understood when it is re-
membered that the practice of market
ing herds as soon as the disease appears
| is almost the universal practice OF HOY
| owners. When the disease has been
introduced into locality, of course its
spread to surrounding points is rendered
easy, for the germs are readily carried
through the air in the dust, by dogs,
cats, rats and other vermin, by birds of
carrion, on the clothing of people, the
feet of horses and mules, by wagons,
cars, boats, the bodies of the dead, and
the washings from all infected yards
For this last reason the disease most
easily spreads down running streams.
| In the first place, there is no other
disease of swine known which is so in
fictitious, SO rapidly spread, and always
attended by such heavy mortality.
The principal reason why so many peo-
pie believe this disease to be something
other than cholera is the fact that in q
majority OF cases the lungs are the
organs which present the most marked
and extensive evidences of disease. By
reference TO the reports made by all in.
vestigators of this disease it will be
seen that the lungs are almost constant.
ly the seat of marked LESSONS. In my
first annual report said: "In most
cases the lungs are cOngested or hard.
ened from intiltration, so that the dis
eased portions are heavier than water
and will not float. The bronchial tubes
and windpipe contain a frothy mucus
The cavity of the chest often contains
a quantity of reddish fiuid-dropsy.
Prof. Law, in his report to the com
missioner of agriculture, says. GAL
though the morbid process of swine
plague can have its seat in almost any
organ or part of the body. it must be
considered as characteristic of this dis.
case that the lungs invariably are more
or less affected, and constitute in g
large number of cases the principal
seat of the morbid process. If other
parts were not also frequently affected,
and i'll some cases even more than the
lungs, swine plague might be called a
'bacteritic' pneumonia"
Vomiting, diarrhGa, Or coughing
generally marks the first appearance OF
this disease. In some cases the appe-
tite is good, i'll others poor or entirely
gone. Usually the sick animal is thirs.
ty, for he is feverish, with tempera-
ture varying from 103 to 10S degrees
until near death, when it often goes be-
low 100 degrees. Red, waterv, over.
sensitive eyes affect particularly the
younger pigs. The ears droop, the
head hangs low, the back is bumped
the hind parts stagger from side tC
side, the belly is tucked up, often ten.
der to pressure, while the softer por
tions OF the skin on the inside of the
thighs, along the belly, and behind the
ears show reddish or purple patches
The skin is usually dry, wrinkled, and
often scales off, particularly on the ears
Constipation of the bowels is Otter
very marked in the earlier stages O
the disease, later on diarrhea com
mences, and continues until death
Hogs with cholera generally seek the
shade, where they will lie Oh the belly
Tor hours, having no disposition tt
move except when thirst compels then
to seek water. The percentage of loss
is the heaviest among the younger ami
mails, in which it usually ranges from
65 to 100 per cent. In large animals il
rarely exceeds from 40 TO 80 per cent
Death often occurs in pigs during the
first twenty-fOur or forty eight hours
In older animals it may happen at any
time during the first two or three
weeks; if they live longer than thi:
they usually recover.
Kill every animal the moment he
shows unmistakable signs of the dis
ease. Burn or deeply bury the dead
together with all exposed bedding
manure, etc. Immediately remove all
the healthy to uninfected ground. Clean
and disinfect with carbolic acid anG
water all pens, troughs, fences, etc.
Cover infected yards with straw and
burn it. Cover then with fresh lime
and plough under. Do not use infect.
ed yards or pens for six months. Never
keep hogs on a stream of water on
which cholerated hogs are kept, non
on ground where the washings from
infected yards may be carried by rain.
BY the rigid enforcement of these
measures loss greater than II or Il
per cent. of the herd can be prevented
That some cases of cholera may be
saved by good nursing and careful
treating of the most urgent symptoms
cannot be denied, but it seems to me
| I I