The herald., 1898-01-17
Yields to the Anti-Toxine
Treatment
ADMINISTRATION OF SERUM
EFFICACIoUS AS PREVENTIVE
AND CURATIVE
The Vast Interests at Stake Warrant
Experiment on Much More
Extended Scale
Associated Press specla, wire

| Associated fresS 0peClds wire
WASHINGTON. Jan. 1e.-The chief Of
the bureau OF animal industry, DIR. d.
e. Salmon, has submitted to Secretary
Wilson a report upon the experiments
made in the treatment Of hogs for hog
cholera with anti-toxin serum. This
is made upon the same principle as the
anti-toxin of diphtheria. Good serum
has been obtained from both horses and
cattle. a 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 re-
sistance of the animal Is thus raised to
the highest practical 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 up
on small animals in the laboratory, and
being found efficacious was last fall
tested in Page county. Ia, on several
herds of swine, containing altogether
27S animals. Leaving out one herd,
from which definite returns as to cause
died Of 244 animals treated, of which
Sc were sick. Consequently S2.S per
cent of the animals of these herds were
saved. OF untreated hogs kept under
observation during the period referred
TO about S5 per cent Of the animals died. .
DR.. Salmon believes that with expert
ence a better quality of serum can be
prepared and he has no doubt that this
percentage can be maintained here
after
Referring to this report, Secretary
Wilson remarked that undoubtedly the
results reported by DR.. Salmon were
most encouraging TO hog raisers. The
cost of the serum now, said the secre-
tary, is but 10 cents per head of ami
mails treated, and doubtless in course of
time this light cost may still be further
reduced.
"It 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 su-
pervision and distributed in large guam
titles in order to demonstrate its eff
cacy upon a more extended scale. 1t is
absolutely essential that during the ex-
perimental stage serum of undoubted
quality be used. Unless the hog grow
ers can obtain it from this department
they will be forced to depend upon what
can be obtained from private sources,
and owing to the novelty Of this product
not only will discouragingly exorbitant
prices be charged for it, but in many
cases inferior products may be offered.
This would preclude the possibility ,of
making a satisfactory test on a widely
extended scale. l propose to ask CON-
gress to provide an appropriation nee
essary to enable this department to fur
nish two million doses of serum during
the next year and to make considerable
portion of the appropriation Immediate
ly available. 1t Is seen from DIR. SAL
mons report that it takes three or four
months to put a horse or COW in condi-
tion to supply the serum, consequently
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 I can
not imagine that congress will for q
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 foolish,
for the discovery of this serum has in
volved already many years Of work and
very large sum of money. 1t would be
a great mistake now that SO great dis
covery seems to have been made not to
finish the work by giving 1t thorough
and extensive test"