The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-18
HOG CHOLERA.
Purdue Experiment Station Will Not
IndOrse SO-Called Remedies.

Several years ago." said Prof. c. s.
Plumb, director of Purdue University agri-
cultural experiment station, when lectur-
ing before Indiana farmers institutes Mr..
S. H. Todd, of Ohio, advocated the feed
ing of meat from hogs that had died of
cholera to healthy pigs. The claim made
was that feeding this diseased flesh pro-
duced a mild form of the disease, and the
pigs fed the same thereafter would be free
of cholera. This view advanced by Mr..
Todd caused considerable comment. APP
parently, however the method of treat
ment adopted by him was not entirely a
success, for in March. 1899. he wrote me
that his hogs took sick and died so easy.
1 say 1t was not the cholera. 1t was much
worse. I lost forty head of hogs This,
however, was perhaps just as much a case
of cholera as many swine breeders re-
port on. -
eat the present time an attempt is be-
ing made by Indiana parties to sell on the
market much such a method of treatment
as that adopted by Mr.. Todd. The claim
is made that pregnant sows fed flesh from
cholera diseased swine will have the NAL
adv in a mild form and that the unborn
pigs will also be affected. so that there
after they will be free from cholera and be
immune as 1t is termed. While no ex-
periments have been conducted by dsin-
terested parties to prove the effectiveness
of this method, reasoning from comparison,
as shown by experience with other diseases,
both with humans and animals. Ii is en-
tirely unlikely that this method will prove
a preventive. Further, this station is in
possession of facts proving that pigs born
from sows affected with cholera while
pregnant have died from the disease long
after.
Recently numerous communications
have been received by this station inquir-
ing concerning this method of treatment,
and we now have a letter which implies
that this station has Endorsed this prac-
tice.
Hog cholera is a contagious disease,
and when once IL secures a foothold I'm a
herd usually runs course, and after much
fatality becomes more or less extinct, es-
pecially where serious attempts are made
to stamp out the disease.
For generations hog cholera has raw
aged herds OF swine in America and for
many years the disease has been carefully
studied by the best authorities on animals
diseases and thus far no certain remedy
based on extended trial for a term of years
has been brought out. The cause of the
disease Is understood, but fairly certain
method of prevention or cure is not as yet
demonstrated. Notwithstanding this fact
numerous men calling themselves doctors
many of whom are quacks, are constantly
toisting on the farmers at exorbitant prices
what they claim 10 be sure cures fol-
CHOLERA. Enormous sums of money have
been paid in the aggregate by farmers fol-
so-called cholera remedies that cost mere
trifie TO the manufacturers.
THE Indiana experiment station will in
dorse no hog cholera ,eredy now on the
market and this bulletin is a reply TO the
numerous inquiries addressed US by swine
breeders on this subject. The most that
We can recommend is absolute cleanliness
about the pig yards and lots and the lib
| eral use of disinfectants."