Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-01-05
suggestions Relative 70 Hog Cholera.

The following letter to the HERALD
from the State Veterinarian may frrhish
suggestions that will be valuable to
some of our readers in the infected dis
tricts of this county.
Dear Sir:-In view of the great loss
sustained by the pork raisers of this
state from Hog Cholera (Swine PLAGUED
it is deemed expedient at this time to
call your attention, and through you
the attention Of the community in which
you live to the Importance of taking
active measures to prevent its further
spread.
If the disease has prevailed in your
locality. | wish you would call the at
tention of the owners of infected prem
Uses to the urgent necessity of thorough
cleaning and careful disinfection, for it
is an established fact that its germs
will both live and multiply in old straw
piles, manure heaps and similar SUBJ
stances. After disposing of all such
material, either by plowIng under,
burning or storing in a secluded place
the pens should be thoroughly cleansed
by washing with solution of carbolic
acid in the proportion of five pounds
to barrel of water, or copperas, (Ferri
sulp. )twenty-four pounds to the same
quantity of water. Burning sulphur in
the pens with the doors closed also has
wholesome effect. After disinfection
the doors and windows should be
thrown open, and light and air freely
admitted. But so great is the vitality
of the virus that even with all possible
precaution and the most careful dis
infection there is still danger of the
disease re-appearlng, and in some in
stances il has been found advisable to
abandon the keeping of hogs for a sea-
son.
If the disease appears or is now
prevalent in your neighborhood, the
effort should of course be directed to
prevent its spread, for this purpose all
communication between healthy and
diseased herds should be at once sus-
pended. Visiting infected premises out
of curiosity or for the purpose of
gaining information has, in several IN
stances cost our farmers dearly; for,
unfortunately. on their return home
| they not only carried with them some
knowledge of the symptoms of the dis
ease, but about their clothes and on
their soiled shoes lurked its germs
ready 10 perform their deadly work.
The carcasses of diseased hogs should
be buried deeply and not sold for render
ing. Wagons employed by such estab-
lishments have done great harm in some
parts of Illinois by carrying the infection
~,ln a..
streams should be avoided, rs the dis
ease frequently spreads along their
courses.
When the disease makes its appearance
in herd the sick hogs should be sep
arated from the healthy, in so doing al
ways remove the healthy from the in
fected pens.
Treatment Of the sick is not advisable
but it is we'll to give those that have been
exposed TO the contagion ten drops of
pure carbolic acid for every hundred
weight of pork, mixed with the food.
The intention being to fortify the system
as much as possible against the disease.
Ii your neighborhood is still free from
the malady, too great care cannot be
taken to prevent its introduction.
Hogs brought from a distance should
be regarded with suspicion. especially
so if they have made journey in the
cars, or passed through any of the large
stock yards.
Trusting that you will cooperate
earnestly in the movement, have the
honor to be
Yours truly,
V. T. ATKINsoN,V. S.,
State Veterinarian.
MILWAUKEE.