Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-02-17
TESTING HOG CHOLERA REMEDY.
Encouraging Results From Expert
ments With AntitoSin Serums


The chief of the bureau of animal in
dustry, DR.. D. E. Salmon, has submit
ted to Secretary Wilson report upon
the experiments made IN the treatment
of hogs for hog cholera with antitoxin
serum. This serum is made upon the
same principal as the antitoXin OF
diphtheria. Good serum has been OBJ
tanned from both horses and cattle,
horse or COW being inoculated with the
hog cholera virus in small quantities
at first, and with larger doses after
suitable intervals of time. The resist
arce of the animal is thus raised to the
highest practicable point The blood
of such an animal when injected under
the skin of swine has been found to
possess both a preventive and curative
action.
This serum was first tested upon
small animals in the laboratory, and,
being found efficacious, was last fall
tested in Page county. Iowa, on several
herds of swine, containing altogether
27S animals. Leaving out one herd,
fire m which definite returns as to cause
of death could not be obtained, only
80 died out of 224 animals treat
ed, of which eighty-six were sick. Con-
sequently S2S per cent. of the animals
in these herds were saved. OF untreat-
ed herds kept under observation dur
ing the period referred TO about IS per
- WI 1c Nv
believes that with experience a better
quality OF serum can be prepared and
he has no doubt that this percentage
can be maintained hereafter.
Referring to this report, Secretary
Wilson remarked that undoubtedly the
results reported were most encourag-
ing to hog raisers. The cost of the
serum now, said the secretary, is but
10 cents per head Of animals treated,
and doubtless in course of time this
light cost may still be further reduced.
ut is in my opinion" said the secre-
tary, "of the utmost importance that
this serum for the next year at least
be made by the bureau under our own
quantities in order to demonstrate its
efficacy upon more extended field.
1t Is absolutely necessary that during
the experimental stages serum of un-
doubted quality be used Unless the
hog growers can obtain it from this de-
partment they will be forced to depend
upon what can be obtained from priv
ate sources, and, owing to the novelty
of this product, not only will dis
couragingly exorbitant prices be
charged for it, but in many cases in
ferior products may be offered. This
would preclude the possibility OF max
ing satisfactory test on widely ex-
tended scale. II propose to ask con-
gress to provide an appropriation
r ecessary to enable this department to
furnish 100000 doses of serum during
the next year, and to make a consider
able portion OF the appropriation i'm
mediately available. 1t seems from
DIR. Salmons report that it takes three
or four months to put horse OF COW
in condition to supply the serum, con
seeuently the work upon an extended
scale must be undertaken at once.
"The losses from hog cholera are so
enormous and have weighed so heavily
for years upon our farmers that ! can
not imagine that congress will for
moment hesitate to make the appro-
priations necessary to carry on this
work thoroughly. Indeed, apart from
the great stake the farmers have in this
matter. to refuse to provide for thor
ough test OF this remedy now would
be, indeed, penny wise and pound fool
ish. for the discovery of this serum has
involved already many years of work
and very large sum of money. 1t
would be a great mistake now that SO
great discovery seems to have been
made not to finish the work by giving
1t a thorough and extensive test