Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1897-05-14
THAT "H0G CHOLERA. "
Careful Study Of Disease Shows
Hog Plague to Be Liken to
Typhoid Fever.

Editor Journal: After having witness
ed the extensive ravages, and destruction
OF swine in the last two years by what is
popularity known as hog cholera-and
after careful study OF the symptoms aud
much time and attention given to the in
vestlgation and, Of late. successful treat
ment, think am enabled to give you a
very clear idea of the several forms Of the
disease and its causes.
The name of ''hog cholera" is mis-
homer and conveys an erroneous imprls'
sion, for it has nothing of the nature of
cholera in the beginning, and hardly ever
does the putrid diarhoea set in before the
i seventh or ninth cay.
The disease is essentially of typhoid
character with tendency to rapid decom'
position of the blood and Decentralization
of tissue. and in whatever form it may be
manifested this characteristic is apparent.
The symptoms vary widely at different
seasons and in different localities, and we
may not expect to meet the same train Of
symptoms even in different individuals IN
the same locality, but the specific causes
that lead up TO the indispositions are the
same and require the same treatment
The early manifestations of the disease
are: the eyes look dull and deep set in
the head; the hair becomes rough and the
l. - H.. nd
the animal seems dull and week and does
not run to his feed. but comes slowly or
not at all, and if he eats it is rs though
he had no Appetite; holds his nose TO the
ground, and does not lie down with the
other swine, but mopes about by himself
rather in the sun than in the shade, and
as the disease progresses he refuses his
food altogether. He lies down good
deal and does not wish to be disturbed
for when he arises his gait is unsteady
and he sways about and may totter and
fall; he also has a tendency to bury his
head or whole body IN the litter and re-
main quiet.
This is the forming stage which may
continue from few hours to day or
more. and just here the hog raiser should
be prepared to get in his work before the
disease becomes localized on some Of the
internal vlscera such as lungs, kidneys.
intestines. brain, glands, mucous and Sc.
rous mem branes, for at this stage the dis.
ease is easily handled and can be effect
ually stamped out in the balance of the
herd and without the serious consequences
of dosing with strong and poisonous
remedies which jeapardlze the value and
thriftlness of the animal ever after.
1t must be remembered that this is a
decidedly infectious disease under the or.
binary and prevailing conditions, and the
emanations from the sick and dead cause
the disease to spread rapidly, so it is i'm.
perative to keep we'll hogs away from the
sick ones. AS proof of this l have in
mind an Iowa hog raiser who sold his
herd of 100 hogs because he had last q
good many and feared he would lose the
balance. They were removed to another
section and under different conditions
lived. but the farmer who sold them
stocked up with fresh lot presumably
cholera proof (?) and they all promptly
died, which shows that without disin.
injecting the premises it is useless to try
to stamp out the disease unless you
change the condition OF the system of the
animal and fortify it SO as to enable it to
ward off the ravages of disease by supply
ing in molecular form certain blood
cell salts which are deficient in the sys-
tenn and is the underlying cause in its
incubation.
AS to the causes of the so-called hog
cholera they are numerous, both direct
and indirect.
In the beginning let me say that I do
not believe that the festive microbe IS the
cause of the disease. That you will al
ways find them where there is decaying
organic matter, but that they are the
effect or product of that decaying matter
and when that is removed they 60 with
it, do not believe, and that they are the
true representatives of decay, and that
they are harmless in other conditions,
and as do not believe the effect can be
the cause of ANYTHING. discard the germ
theory as pet theme of science gone
mad, for the air we breathe, the water we
drink and the food we eat are impregnat-
ed with bacteria, and all that is needed
to make them multiply a million fold in
soil composed of decaying organic mat
ter, or they would soon depopulate the
earth.
Now all animals and the human family
have within them certain inorganic blood
cell salts which, when we'll balanced in
the system, act as scavengers and repel
all invading microbes or noxious vapors
that are detrimental to our health and
weil-being. and give US immunity from
disease, but if Tor some reason some of
these salts become deficient then certain
symptoms Of disease will be apparent, !