Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-03-14
THE BLIND sTAceERs.

THE BLIND sTAcGERs.
Hov 70 treat and Cure This Nest Com
mon OF Hog Diseases.
Blind staggers is a somewhat com.
mon disease OF the hog. or. rather. it
is . symptom. When sluggishness Is
observed in any particular animal OF
the herd, with want of appetite. it Is
an indication that ought not to 30.
neglected for an hour. If the hog Is
loft its feed it should be separated
from the herd and given especial care.
Prompt action in quarantining a single
animal may save a whole herd Blind
staggers in the hog is caused by what
is ordinarily termed biliousness. From
impaired digestion, congestion OF the
liver, or other causes. a portion OF
bile is taken up by the blood. and the
..blind staggers'' is simply an exagger-
ated swimming of the head. ;" The
whites. of the eyes present a jaundiced
appearance. and the tongue has a dirty
yellow coat, darker in the middle than
at the edges; the discharges show that
the bowels are constipated usually.
but sometimes there is diarrhea AMI
high-colored urine This complaint
usually attacks hogs soon after tho
fattening process. or, what IS called
fall feeding, begins. If the animals
have been on pasture through the
summer, with little or no corn.
and are then put in. the fai-
tening pen and given all the
corn they will eat. blind staggers
are likely to develop in the first two
weeks. The sudden change OF diet de-
ranges the stomach, and this is the re-
suit. A little prudence will ordinarily
prevent it. The grain feeding should
begin while the hogs are yet in
pasture, and gradually increase from
day to day. This disorder rarely or
never attacks fat hogs The custom
from time immemor;al has been to cut
off the tail. split the skin on the fore
head, and put in salt or turpentine. Ii
the attack is severe one, this treat
ment will kill the hog every time II
the engagement of the liver is not
very great it may survive the treat
ment, but it will take some time to
get over it. If the disease is fully de-
veloped, the animal will stagger
around nearly in a circle for three OR
four times and fall down, getting up
in a weak. dazed sort of way, only to
repeat the stagger. The proper thing
to do is to let a stout man straddle tho
hog while it is standing up, and slip
the moose of stout cord or small ropo
over the nose and upper jaw, and
another cord over the lower jaw.
With these pull the mouth open. Take
hold Of tAo tongue with the left hand
and pull it we'll out, holding the head
up. and from q paper or spoon in tho
right hand pour a full half tea
spoonful of calOmel as far back
on the tongue as possible, and let
the animal 60. A stick four or five
inches long and an inch in diameter
may be set upright between the jaws
to prevent injury to the hand of the
operator. but will be found more or
less in the way. If the animal mas
been closely watched. however, there
has probably been found opportunity
to give it this dose of calomel while it
would yet eat little. meal Or drink L
little milk. This medicine is tasteless,
and for this reason can often be given
in food when more nauseOus medicine
would be refused, and this is point
not to be despised in treating hogs.
This dose is all that need be given in a
great majority of cases, but it will be
prudent to add a couple of Tablespoons
fuls of salts the next day, or as soon as
the animal shows any desire to eat.
and if necessary this amount may be
divided into two or three doses. At
the time of year when fattening be-
gins, if any of the hogs do not take
kindly to the corn, and it is often the
case. it will be found of great benefit
to give one-third of a level teaspoon
full of calomel each morning for three
or four mornings, and if they exhibit
any signs of worms. add nearly as
much santonine to each dose. In q
few days there will be a marked inn
provement in their eating, and they
will be as lively as SIX weeks pig,
and there will be no further fear of
blind staggers.-American Agriculture
ist.
Recovered Her Needle.