The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-10
FIGHTING HOG CHOLERA.

The current discussion concerning the
cause and prevention of hog cholera
seems to be on more intelligent lines.
and promises to lead to more practical
results than some that have preceded
1t. The subject is one of Importance to
the country at large, and especially to
Indiana. The hog crop of the United
States constitutes a large item in the
aggregate of farm industries. In 1894
there were in the country 45.2O649S hogs
of the value of $270,3S4,626. The total
number of hogs packed and marketed in
that year was 16,7S9.O0O Previous to the
exclusion of American meats from Ger
many and other European countries our
exports of hog products, including meat
and lard amounted to about $50, 000, 900
year. Anything that affects so i'm
portant an industry as this is of general
interest.
Indiana stands fifth as corn and hog
producing State. and has therefore a
large and direct interest in anything
that affects the business. In fact, her
interest may be larger relatively than
that Of any other State, as there is rea-
son to believe the losses by hog cholera
during the last few years have been
proportionately larger in this State than
in any other. 1t was stated in the dis
cussion that the losses from this cause
in Indiana during the last year amounted
to s2,5OO,OO0. Such a loss as that, nearly
the whole Of which falls on the farmers,
is State calamity.
The current discussion. in connection
with recent experiments by Purdue Uni
versity and intelligent hog raisers, leaves
no doubt that hog cholera is a zymotic
produce it are generated by filth and
chiefly communicated by water. In
these respects it resembles human
cholera, which also has its natural home
and habitat in the midst of filth, and
which propagates itself largely by bac-
terra in water. Two recent experiments
carried on for a considerable length Of
time point with almost absolute certainty
to the conclusion that hog cholera can be
prevented by adopting clearly methods
of feeding and by giving the animals
pure water to drink, and that boiling the
water. thus sterilizing it. is almost
certain preventive. In the light of these
experiments, amounting almost to
demonstrations, the farmers of Indiana
should discard at once and forever the
idea that filthy food, water and sur
-roundings are not hurtful to swine,
should revolutionize their methods of
feeding, and, above ALL furnish their
herds with absolutely pure water.
But the hog reform should not stop
here. AS has been stated, the disease
which has inflicted such heavy losses on
the farmers is communicated chiefly in
water, but it is also disseminated in
other ways. AS the business of shipping
hogs and handling them at stock yards
is now conducted. every car that brings
diseased hogs to market, and a great
many Go. goes back fully impregnated
with cholera bacteria and thus helps to
scatter the disease far and wide. A
freight car thus impregnated becomes a
moving dissemination of bacteria and
propagation of hog cholera There should
be law requiring every car in which
diseased hogs have been brought to mar
ket to be cleansed and fumigated before
being sent out. This should be one
feature of health law which should
recognize the duty of guarding the health
of animals as well as Of human beings.
In this case, however, the most potent
argument is not humanity, but dollars
and cents. The people of Indiana can
afford to go to some trouble to eradicate
disease which is causing them an
actual loss of 81, 800, 900 year.