Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-09-02
Plain Facts About Hog Cholera.

Plain Facts About Hog Cholera.
| A practical farmer living near Burling-
| ton, Iowa, gives the following excellent
hints concerning plague in which the
| farmers in the West have a keen inter
| est:
"a great deal has already been written
on this subject, but it is hoped that the
result of much research and some practi-
cal experience may prove of value. 1t is
| due to the United States Department of
| Agriculture that so much has been done
toward discovering the origin of the dis
ease, as we'll as the precautionary meas
lies necessary to prevent its cOntagiOn
and ravage. 1t has been seen that the
germ of hog cholera (Which, by the way,
is a name enormously applied to many of
the Affections of swine) is microbe or
small round substance-so small, indeed,
that millions of them may be counted in
a drop of water. In this germ is the
origin of the disease in any particular
case. There appears to be more than one
kind, although only one has yet appeared
| and developed in any cases examined in
this country. The second kind has re-
Gently been discovered by Pasteur, and
the subjects of his investigation were of
French origin.
The secret of preventing hog cholera
from attacking your herd of swine when
your neighbours herd is afflicted lies in
your ability to keep out these germs, and
there are many ways in which they may
reach you. The germ may be picked up
on the sole of shoe, or on the foot of a
dog or horse, and conveyed from one
farm to another miles distant. 1t NAV be
land is, not infrequently) conveyed in
manure wagons or wagons exchanging
produce of any kind. It may be convey
ed IN the wind. You can readily see that
rigid appearance is absolutely necessary
to prevent the spread of this disease, and
If you hear of a neighbor whose hogs are
afflicted, do not go over to his farm and
inquire into the matter, offer suggestions,
ETC., and then, perhaps, bring the germ of
the disease to your own herd in a small
particle of dirt that may adhere to the
sole of your shoe. Remain at home and
look after your own hogs. Shoot at sight
any strange dog or cat you see wandering
near your yards, and do not allow any
neighbOr or passer by to enter. These
measures may seem rather severe, but
they are necessary. When you have bar
ricaded your farmyard against intruders
turn your attention to your hogs, as per-
haps some semblance of the disease may
have already appeared among them.
Some Of the following suggestions apply
as well to local cases of sickness as to
hog cholera:
IF you find sick hog, do not remove
him, but remove all the rest; this is very
imdortant. Divide your herd in two or
three parts, and put each one in new and
separate yard or apartment, supplied with
new troughs, pals, etc., and then avoid
entering Or allowing anyone else to enter
the vacated yards. Look out where you
step. Sprinkle the hogs, as we'll as the
pens and yards, with carbolic acid diluted
in water in proportion of tablespoonful
of the former to two quarts of the latter.
Little can be done in the way of curing
sick hog, and all attention should be
given to preventing well hogs from get
ting the disease.
slow, damp, muddy yards are to be
avoided, and cleanliness must be consid-
cred of the most vital Importance. When
any hogs die of cholera, do not open
them for examination, thereby allowing,
perhaps, millions of the germs to escape
and do damage, but bury them at least
four feet in the ground, and in such plac-
es as neither cattle nor hogs will be likely
to pasture or root in for two or three
seasons to come.
Beyond this system of rigid quaran
tine and the practice of cleanliness in all
its details, there is little more to be sug-
gested. It is hoped that one day sys-
tenn of incubation may be perfected,
while it is more to be desired that sys-
TEN of sanitary and health measures may
be practiced that will not only prevent
contagion and further ravage, but event
ually exterminate the germ or disease"