The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-09-11


A practical farmer living near Burling.
ton, Iowa, gives the following excellent
hints concerning a plague in which the
farmers In the West have a keen interest ::
"A great deal has already been written on
this subject, but il Is hoped that the result
Of much research and some practical ex.
perience may prove Of value. 1t is due To
the United States Department f Agticul.
ture that so much has been accomplished
toward discovering the origin of this dis
ease, as we'll as the precautionary meas
ures necessary 10 preyea' is cOntlgion aud
ravsge. II has been seen '!la the germ Of
hog cholera (Which, by 'se way, Is u name
enormously applied 10 many OF the affiic-
tons of swine) is microbe, or small round
substance-so small, indeed, that millions
of them may be contained in drop Of
water. In this germ Is the origin Of the
disease In any particular case There ap-
pears to be more than one kind, although
only one has yet developed or appeared in
any cases examined in this country The
second kind has been recently discovered
~ Pasteur, and the subjects Of his investi
Uations We're of French origin.
"The secret of preventing hog cholera
from attacking your herd of swine when
your neighbors herd is afflicted lies in your
ability 10 keep ont 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 an
other miles distant Ii may he and is, not
infrequently) conveyed IN manure wagons
or wagons exchanging produce Il any kid
1t may be conveyed in the wind You can
readily see that rigid quarantine is abSC-
M,ely necessary to prevent the spread of
this disease, and if you hear o., neighbor
wnose hogs are afflicted, do not 90 over 10
his farm and inquire into the matter, offer
suggestions etc, and then, perhaps bring
the germ of the disease 20 Your own herd
in 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 ca' you see wand
ering near your yards, and do not allow
any neighbor or passer.by 70 enter. These
measures may seem rather severe, but they
are necessary. When YOU have barricaded
your farmyard against !ntrUders turn your
attention TO your hogs, as perhaps some
semblance of the disease may have already
appeared among them. Some Of the foil
owing suggestions apply as well to local
cases of sickness as 10 hog cholera;
IF you find sick hog, do not remove
him, but remove all the rest; this is very
important Divide your herd in two or
three parts, and put each one in a new and
separate yard or apartment, supplied with
new troughs, pals, etc, and then avoid en-
tering or allowing any one else 10 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 the proportion Of tablespoonful of the
former TO two quarts of the latter Little
can be Gone in the way # curing a sick
hog, and all attention should be given to
preventing well hogs from getting the dis
ease.
Low, damp, muddy yards are to be
avoided, and cleanliness must De consider
ed 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 dam
age, but bury them at least four feet in the
ground, and in such places an neither cat
tie nor hogs will be likely 70 pasture OF root
in for two or three seasons 10 come.
Beyond this system or rigid quarantine
and the practice of cleanliness in all its de
tails. there is little more ~ be suggested
1t is hoped that one day system Of inoculq!
ton may be perfected, while il is more TO
be desired that system Of sanitary and
health measures may be practiCed that viii
not only prevent Cont'gion and further
ravage, but eventually eNtermlnate the
germ or disease.