The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-11-27
HOG CHOLERA.
Government Inquiring Results i'm the
Discovery of "a Cure.

OF a lure.
Correspondent of Chicago Record.
In 1875 the United States government en-
gagged DR.. Detmers and set him at the task
of discovering, If possible. the nature of
this hog cholera The doctor had a micro
scope, made in Germany for his especial
use which has a magnifying capacity of 800
diameters. With this remarkable instru-
ment, which cost the government ii very
large sum of money, and which is said to
be as fine a microscope as there is in the
world, DIR. Detmers set about the task of
discovering the underlying principle or
function of the disease which had resulted
in the loss of hundreds of millions of dol
lars annually to the farmers of the United
States.
His theory from the first has been that
this cholera or what he terms the swine
plague, was caused by a germ. After ex-
haustive experiments he succeeded in find
ing the germ and thus proving his theory
small that a thousand of them can cluster
upon the point of a needle. 1t is an APP
parently transparent form of life. nearly
round in shape. and possesses the power to
multiply in a marvellous degree. This pro-
cess is accomplished simply by each germ
dividing or cutting itself in two parts. In
again become whole and then divides again.
1t is DIR. opinion that these
germs are carried in the air. on vegeta-
ton and by means of flies and other in
sects. Entering a hogs system the germ
works its way into the blood and COM
mences it's deadly work. No particular in
convenience is felt by the animal until the
process of subdivision on the part of the
germs has reached that point where they
crowd into the little capillaries and by
means of the multitudes of them roll up
pushing out into the small veins and ulti-
mately destroying circulation to such an
extent that the animal dies. Not only this,
but the presence of the germs in the veins
poisons the blood and takes from II its
life-giving properties.
Having reached this point in the progress
nf thu lnNaCfirQ Ihr tina go
convinced hat it would be possible to
treat hogs for cholera in exactly the same
manner that the human being is treated
for Smallpox-by vaccination. He at once
gave up the theory that IL would be pos
sible to effect a cure upon animals that
had been attacked by the germ. but he be-
lieved that a herd of well hogs could be
treated SO as to make them germ proof.
and he set about discovering a vaccine or
serum that would be effective.
In this direction he appears to have been
singuIarly successful. After months of
study and experiment he succeeded i'm Gull
tivating the germ and at the present time
he has a ffourishing germ farm at his home
near Columbus, O. The details Of the man.
ufacture, the secret of the ingredients that
compose the culture in which millions
of germs find an agreeable place of abode
and ample provision for sustenance and
other features of the discovery are known
only to the doctor. His son informed your
correspondent. however. that large num-
berS of rabbits were required and that i'm
these the process of incubation began.
The germ culture is shipped in walls hold
ing about four ounces. 1t is Introduced
into the Walls by means of a secret pro-
cess. Ii being necessary that the air should
be entirely excluded from the vial. and
then the top, which comes TO a point. like
a CroOke's tube, is Theoretically sealed by
fusing the point. These Walls NAV be
shipped by express, but great care must
be taken to prevent the tube from getting
cold. as cold is death to the germ. The
germ experiences no difficulty in excessive
ly hot climates, but rather thrives more
rapidly.
The process of inoculating the swine is
interesting. The animal is secured by
means of a short rope over its nose. and
the natural obstinacy Of the brute is used
against Ii, the animal pulling in the op-
posite direction. The operator. by means
of a hypodermic syringe, injects about half
a teaspoonful OF the serum into the feshv
place back of the ear. Unless the dose IS
placed where it will at once enter the blood
Ii has no effect. and this Is about the only
spot where IL can be accomplished. Except
in rare instances no unpleasant effects fol-
low. although once in a while the hog
shows signs of sickness for a day or so.
1t is claimed that swine properly inocu-
lated before germs have obtained any foot
hold will never have the disease. MANY of
the most prominent swine breeders of In
diana. Illinois and Iowa have experimented
with this new preventive and testify tina
the animals so treated nave withstood the
epidemic, while other animals in the same
pen have died. A large number Of the big
hog raisers in this part Of the State have
had their herds iDOculated