The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-05-06
Hog Cholera in Mobiles County,

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DR.. H. M. Bracken, secretary of the
state board Of health in his quarterly
report renders the following in refer
ence to hog cholera in this county.
March rs, went to Adrian on com
plant of Frank Bittner to investigate
hog cholera. / found that hog cholera
had beeh very prevalent throughout
the western part of Mobiles county
during last fall. The townships which
had suffered most wereLeota, Lismore
Westside, Grand Prairie, Wilmcnt
Larkin, Olney and Little Rock. The
estimated loss in Lismore township
alone was 1000 hogs. Great careless
ness has existed in handling the dis
ease. Sick hogs were allowed to run
with well hogs,no attempt being made
at quarantine. Not only this but sick
hogs were turned out on the highway
to save owner the trouble of bury
ing them. And so called "dead hog
man" was in the habit of driving
about with a wagon gathering up
these infected carcasses and cart;ng
them across the country to Madelia
TO some shipping point from whence
they were sent to some certain rend
ering establishment. The shipping
pens at Adrian were thoroughly infect
| ed. Infected hogs have been receiv-
ed at this point and shipped to Chi
cago. The general and natural tend
ency is for every one as he thinks his
hogs are infected to haul them to
town and ship them to the various
packing houses. It seemed as though
everything that possibly could be
done to spread the disease had been
done. IN some places there were
numbers of dead hogs unburried that
had been piled up all winter. The dis
ease had been in allegiance during
the winter, but the day I reached Ad-
rlan one man had hauled nearly nine
ty hogs to town for shipment, having
discovered hog cholera present in hi S
herd. of these ninety thirty were
either dead or killed the next morn
ing and the rest were shipped to Chi
cago.
With this evidence of fresh out
break l made it a point to see a:
many of the various town officers az
possible by driving to their homes Of
by watching for them in town (Satur
day. and to advis them to do every
thing in their power to prevent the
spread Of this awful scourge. II il
my wish that a veterinary be sent tt
the county to watch for fresh out
breaks and instruct the people wha
to do and how to do it in caring fol
this disease. Because of the fnanci
al condition of the board no inspect
or has as yet been sent. but | an
keeping myself in touch with the 10
cality by correspondence, and hop,
should occasion arise, to be able tc
carry out my wish in this matter O.
educating the people up to the prop
or means for limiting the spread O.
this infectious disease.
| I have heard from the health off
Ger at Adrian, Dr.C .C.May under date
of April II, to the effect that there
has been no new cases of hog cholera
in the neighborhood. He reported
that the carcasses of hogs that hal
been thrown along the banks of
stream which passes through Adrian
had been. floating down the stream
with the spring freshets and hae
been deposited over a distance of fou
miles or more within the boundaries
of at least three townships. The doc
had the carcasses found along tn
stream in the township over which
he had jurisdiction, buried. I hav'
communicated with the town officer
of the three adjoining townships re
questing them to look after the Car
casses within their jurisdiction.