The Red Cloud chief., 1889-08-16
DISEASES OF SWINE.

DISEASES OF SWINE.
ne Cooeiusions u . Government cs~-
Ferns Of Hog Chol~n
Prev11ent-Caeertainfy and Risk u L.
0cul1stoa.
WASHINGTON, Aug. a-In Deeembe.
lca Commissioner of Agriculture Co.maa
appointed q special commission for the
investigation OF epidemic or rather epi.
xootic diseases Of swine The commission
has just completed its report 70 Secretary
RHsk- After reciring the plan OF IN. esti.
cation pursued by the ccCu;ssior. th.v
presented as the sum Of their labors the
following conclusions:
flrst-lt 10 the opinion of the commits
sion that there are at least two widespread
epidemic diseases Of hogs in this country,
which are caused by different micro-or.
gan isms. but which have clinical history
and pathological LESSONS more or less sim.
liar and very difficult TO distin Suish with.
Cut the aid of the microscope. and rexort
TO meteorological methods. One Of these
epidemic diseases, viz One that is called
BY the Bureau Of Animal Industry, the
swine plague. appears to b. far less prev
alent than the other which has been
called hog Cholera
The commission is further of the opinion
that hog cholera is caused by the specific
seton OF Q certain distinct microbe named
ny them the hog cholera germ, different
o other microbes described Is present
IN swine diseases The commission il also
OF the opinion. although to Q less positive
degree, that the epidemic disease called
6y the bureau authorities "swine plague"
has as its specific cause Q certain microbe
exhibiting characteristics which dissin.
Ruish il from the germ" Of hog cholera.
The discovery OF the diseases n Of the
microbes to which they are due. must be
considered original On the part Of the
Bureau Of Animal Industry. 1t least -
Tar - work n the United States 10 con.
cerned
In the opinion Of the commission the
epidemic disease Of sw inc investigated. BY
d.. Billings and others in Nebraska how
ever seemingly different IN the Published
descriptions, is identical in its clinical
features. pathological LESSONS and sp~ cinc
cause with this hog cholera" and fur.
thermore- that b ~pathogenic microbe.
which Is the specific cause Of this disease,
l. identical in both instances
1t IS the opinion Of the commission that
the microbe which DR.. Detm-rs At presents
regards as the specific cause Of hog chol.
era" Is probably the same mic-obe which
is considered by the bureau authorities as
the specific cause Of hog cholera
From their observation OF the methods
OF b~acterioioCica rssearch pursued tv D..
BILLINGS in Nebraska the MI ssion is Of
the opinion that IL was dificule. Il not i'm
pcss bic, for that distinguished investi.
gator. by his usual m-rhod, 70 discover
and isolate a germ associated with "ths
hog cholera germ IN tie tissues Of the
body Of the pig. Therefore the failure OF
Dr. Billings in his researches 10 find the
so-calec swine plague germ II the tissues
OF the spleen (the organ from which be
most invariably made his cuiture@) can
not be regarded as incontesrib.e proof tia:
the swine plague germ had no ex srence
il the al hogs which had fallen I'M
der his observation. and affords no evil
dence hat this last named disease does
rot recur in Nebraska
The commission regards the e1peri.
ment concerning immunity as i~nconciu-
sive and a. more or less indefinite: vet it
seems to be evident that there is a certain
degree Of prosecticn gains artificial ac-
QUisition OF hog cholera possessed bv the
Nebraska pigs which had been inocula,ed
ana wh.ca had recovered from the natural
disease the latter appearing 20 be sliget-
IL less protected than h former. Il is q
well known fact brought 60 light By "a
Il Investigations concerning the rela.
OF infectious Diseases. that immunity
kprotection from a second attack,
II ether artificial or natural. Is Tot abso-
iSe. hut only n q re, alive degree. Il is
the opinion OF The commission that Gisiu-
3-c-ion- as a general practical means OF
preventing the enormous annual losses
from diseases OF swine il this country,
can not be made effective under the coz.
ditions which exist in tie " est and other
regions where toC raising is extensive.
As ta- as present knowledge extends, the
treatment OF existing cases Is futile.
There remain therefore. TO be considered
hut two alternative Means Of prevention
tine and extern nation of infected
hogs, with their surroundings. or, on the
other hand, some form OF preventive in
ocul alton.
Some of the tests made n NebrasSa IN.
der the direction o: d.. Billings certainly
give rromEe Of great possibilities in this
direction 1t Is the opinion OF the com.
mission. however. that an attempt to pro-
duce immunity from hog cholera" arcih-
cially by tie use OF living germs OF the
d sease. either through the stomach or by.
pode.nic incubation, is very objection
able and involves Q serious risk Of more
widely extending the disease and increas-
inc rather than diminishing the enormous
losses ,herefron. For every hog thus
treated becomes. for q time 1t least .
center Of Infection from which IN epi-
demic NAV be. directly CT indirectly.
spread wildly. Furthermore, the use Of
living germs seems. 1t least in many In
sAnceS TO permanently stunt the growth
OF the pig
The President Goes 30 Maine.
BosroN. Aug. 9-The special train with