Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-08-15
DISEASES or SWINE.


me Special Commission Appointed 60
InvestIgate Epidemic Diseases OF
swine Makes It's Report swine
Plague" and "H0g Cholera" Caused "
Different Observation-Disclosures
Not Recommended q Speclnc IsoH-
edy.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 1O.-ln DecemDe.'
1888, Commissioner OF Agriculture Coi-
man appointed q special commission tor
the Investigation of epidemic, or rather
eplzootic. diseases Of swine. The COM
mission has Just completed its report 10 :
Secretary Rusk After reciting the plan
Of investigation pursued by the commls-
sion they presented as the sum OF tnoir
labors the following conclusions:
It is the opinion OF the commission that there
are at least two widespread epidemic diseases
Of hogs in this country which are caused oy
different micro-organisms, but when nave
clinical history and pathological lessons more
Or less similar and very difficult to distinguish
without the aid Of the microscope ana resort "
archaeological methods. One OF these epioe"
diseases. viz, that called by the Bureau :.
Animal Industry "swine plague" appears TO g
far less prevalent than the other, which MS
been named ''hog cholera" The commission
are further of the opinion that "hog cholera is
caused by the specific action or certain us
tinct microbe named by them "the germ OF nog
cholera different from other m1croDes oe-
scribed as present in swine diseases.
The commission also OF the opinion, IL
though to q less positive degree, that the epl-
demic disease called by the bureau authoriles
| .swine plague has as its specific cause Ger
tain microbe possessing characteristics whicn
distinguish it from the germ OF hog choiera-
The discovery of the diseases and OF the NIL
crobes to which they are due must be consioereo
original on the part OF the Bureau OF Animal
Industry, at least as far rs work In the Uniteo-
States is concerned. In the opinion OF the COM
mission the epidemic disease OF swine investi--
gated by DR.. Billings and others in Nebraska,
however seemingly Indifferent in the publisneo
descriptions is identical in its clinical features
pathologc al LESSONS and specific cause with tnls
'hog cholera and furthermore that the patho-
genie microbe, which is the specific cause or
this disease, is identical IN both instances.
1t is the opinion Of the commission that the
microbe which DR.. Detmers at present regards
a. the specific cause Of "hog cholera, Is PROB
ably the same microbe which is considered by
the bureau authorities as the specific cause OF
hog cholera.
From their observation OF the methods OF
| meteorological research pursued by Dr. Bill
lings in Nebraska, the commission are OF the
opinion that it was difficult, il not imDossfole~
for that distinguished investigator by his usuat
method, to discover and isolate germ associ-
ated with 1.-The hog cholera germ" in the tissues
OF the body Of the pig: therefore the failure OF
Dr. Billings in his researches to find the So
called "swine plague germ in the tissues OF
the spleen (the organ from which he most in
variably made his culture) can not be regarded
as incontestable proof that the Swine plague
germ" had no existence in the afflicted hogs
which have fallen under his observation, ana
affords no evidence that this last-named disease
does not occur in Nebraska.
The commission regard their experiments
concerning immunity conclusive and more
or less indefinite, yet it seems to be evident
that there is q certain degree of protection
against artificial acquisition Of hog cholera POS
sessed by the Nebraska pigs, which had been
inoculated and which had recovered from the
natural disease the latter appearing to be
slightly less protected than the former.
1t is well-known fact brought to light by re-
cent investigations concerning the nature OF in.
fictitious diseases that immunity or protection
from a second attack, whether artificial or nat
ural, is not absolute, but only relative III de-
gree. 1t is the opinion OF the commission that
dsinfectfon as a general practical means OF
preventing the enormous annual losses from
diseases of swine in this country can not be
made effective under the conditions which ex-
ist in the West and other regions where hog.
raising is extensive.
AS far as our present knowledge extends
treatment OF existing cases is futile There
remain therefore, to be considered but two
alternative means of prevention, quarantine
and extermiua alton OF infected hogs with their
surroundings, or on the other hand some form
OF preventive incubation.
Some of the tests made In Nebraska under
the direction OF DR.. Billings certainly give
promise of great possibilities in this direction.
1t is the opinion of the commission, however.
that an attempt to produce immunity from.
''hog cholera artificialy by the of living
germs of the disease. either through the stom-.
ach through hypodermic incubation, is very
Objectionable and involves serious risk of
more widely extending the disease and in.
creasing rather than diminishing the enormous
losses therefrom.
For every hog thus treated becomes for n.
time at least center of infection from which
widely.
Furthermore the use of the living germ
seems. at least in many instances, to perma~
nently stunt the growth OF the pig.