The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-25
REPEILIy0 DISEASE.

REPELLING DISEASE.
For many years we have been fully con-
yinced that the best preventive OF q host
of diseases and parasites that attack both
plants and animals is good health and suf~
ticient vigor TO resist and repel these nat
ural enemies. An old horse, worked down
to poor condition, or starved until he has
little vitality left, is certain to be attacked
by both internal and external parasites
The wild horse, OK, buffalo or deer, inhnb-
iting q country where they can get plenty
of food and exercise sufficient to keep them
vigorous and healthy, are seldom or never
troubled with worms or with mango, lice
and similar parasites on the skin, because
they are abundsntly able TO resist the at
tacks OF these enemies Neither do wild
fowl have the roup, cholera, pip and similar
diseases, except at times when food has be-
come scarce through unfavorable seasons,
or from exhaustion during long and severe
storms.
Plants, also, suffer from similar causes.
Let an apple orchard be neglected for few
years, or the trees be allowed to overbear
until their growth is checked, aud that
formidable parasite known as the scale or
bark louise is almost certain to appear and
cover every branch and twig. But this
pest can make no Roadway on healthy, Wig
orous trees, because the expansion and
elongation of the bark on healthy branches
prevent their colonization and that quiet
rest which is necessary for their rapid
propagation. The grape louise. or
phylloxera, does very little damage to
young, vigorous and healthy vines, but
when they have been weakened by being
allowed to overbear, or through neglect,
this parasite soon makes its presence known
in irr esistible numbers. This is abundautly
shown In the old aud feeble vineyards o.
France and other countries OF Europe.
Vines under glass which have been forced
out of season aud beyond a natural growth
are also attacked by this pest, because the
forcing often produces plethoric and drop
steal growth, and not a vigorous, healthy
one. Weakness, in whatever form it may
appear, invites parasitic enemies Lichens
only thrive on the dying and dead bark of
trees; trolling stones gather no moss" but
the old rock fixed in It's matrix OF mother
earth is soon covered with minute para
sites, which slowly but increasingly gnaw
into its she'll This idea of repelling disease
and parasites through an increase of
strength and vigor, secured by generous
feeding and proper exercise, is somewhat Of
an innovation upon old ideas and practices;
but we believe it will stand the test of prac-
teal demonstration in the everyday life of
plants and animals.
Within the last few years some wonder
full discoveries have been made regarding
the nature and cause of diseases, and the
way in which they are disseminated. No
one scientist has probably done SO much in
this direction as the French chemist
Pasteur He has discovered the germs of
the disease, known in France as oharbon
anon sheep, and with these germs from
diseased animals he has inoculated the
healthy and vigorous, which were only
slightly affected and which were
rendered thereby proof against the disease
in a more serious form. In this case
as with the more familiar one Of smallpox
in man, the introduced germs of disease
only produce meager or limited effect;
the natural vigor of the patient, not having
been weakened by exposure to the disease
in the usual way, Is better prepared TO resist
it. Hence the mildness of form of all the
diseases prQpagated by vaccination. Among
NJ. Pasteur's other discoveries is the germ
which causes the so-called chicken cholera,
and he finds that he can vacclnate chickens
against the cholera as we'll as cattle against
various diseases to which they are liable.
In experimenting with chickens he made
a discovery which bears strongly in support
of what we have called the "resistant
theory" for he found It very difficult to
inoculate perfectly healthy fowls with the
poisonous germs Their strong health and
vigor seemed to repel the Infection. It was
only when the vitality of the fowls had
been lowered by exposure to injurious in
f1uences that their systems caught the In
lection rapidly, and usually with fatal
results Dhis ia certainly broad hint from
high source that many Of the diseases
affecting animals can be warded off by at
tention to their health.
If farmers will remember this they may
soon relieve themselves from much loss and
much inconvenience. II sheep and cattle
are permitted to chose their own pasture,
they will not remain in low, wet ground
until their feet have begun to decay and
they are affected with contagious foot rot.
Horses shut up in wet. filthy stables have no
chance to clean their feet by running over
the grass and sand. and If parasites get into
their hair, they have no opportunity of
rolling in the sand and dislodging them as
they would do if they had their full
liberty. A good groom knows this,
and uses the comb and brush vigorously
and faithfully in cleaning the coat
of the animal. Hard, course, indigestible
food may bloat or fill up the stomach of
the animal, but it imparts little vigor and
feebleness and "out of condition" follow,
which are soon supplemented by myriads
OF intestinal worms and then the owner iu
ouires for the best remedy for worms IN
horses" Country practitioners Of the vete-
rinary art inform us that they have little
to do in summer when most OF the animals
are out at pasture selecting their own food,
but in winter they are always busy. owing
to loss OF health through neglect - give
stock good and proper food In abundance.
g.