The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-25
Preventing Hog ChoIera in the soutt


Bordeaux we'll worthy trial
Preventing Hog Cholera In the South
I think the stock law has helped very
materially in preventing hog cholera. as
1T compels people to keep their hogs in
an inclosure, preventing them from roam
ing for miles in the country, spreading
the disease, if they have it, says the
North Carolina Experiment Station. 1t
seems to be a germ disease that can cas-
lily be conveyed by one animal coming in
contact with another, or when the ex-
crement Is carried from one hog pen to
another. Often the disease is carried by
running water from a pen above to ami
mails that live lower down the stream.
Another potent agency is the wind, as the
excrement may be caught on leaves aud
trash that is easily lifted by the wind
and blown from one place to another.
The trouble may also be carried by dogs,
as they often act in the capacity of scav-
engers and visit the carcass of a hog
that has died of cholera, then they may
go in their rounds to some hog pen,
looking for scraps that may be left In the
trough. The most powerful of all agencies
and L might add, more powerful than all
of the others put together, Is the infiu-
ence of the buZzards. They carry the
distance has very little to do with it, as
it has in the former cases. From the
very nature of the case it may easily be
seen that this is true, as most people are
in the habit of dragging their dead hogs
out into the woods or some waste place
and allowing the buzzards and dogs to
devour them. Now if hog dies with the
cholera it is also thrown out to the buzz
yards and in twenty four hours 100 buzz
ride n ,o ell
In contact with the disease, and though
they do not contract it themselves, they
spread it far and near by conveying it
on their feathers and in their vomit and
eXcrement, and in this way drop it in
hog pens and pastures where 1t does come
in contact with congenial host. The
ouzzard may roost In North Carolina and
dine or sup in South Carolina or Vir-
ginia, and If he has partaken of any hog
with cholera he is sure to take the dis
ease wherever he goes for some time to
come. The Legislature ought to pass very
stringent laws about the burial of ami
mails dying with contagious disease,
and it would not be a bad idea to in
clude all carcasses Not only would this
be a good state law, but it is just as
proper for the general government to take
| hold of 1t and make it a United States
law as it Is to quarantine cattle on ac-
| count of ticks and p,euro-pneumonia.
AS to further prevention, ! would rec
ommend the good remedies that I
have heard all my life plenty of ashes,
salt and charcoal, with little copperas.
Not that believe this will kill the germs,
but l do believe it puts the system in
good, strong, healthy condition, and the
ANNA will be M re apt to throw off
the germs when ken into the body. An
other that is highly recommended is the
scattering of lime in the pens and white
washing all houses and fences. Add a lit
tie carbolic acid to the drinking water
once in whi e. say half teaspoonful to
a bucketful of woter, string well.
With all these preventves, in case the
cholera does appear, my advice is to
move every hog not infected to some new
place at once. They should be carried
as far as poss BILE from the old pen, even
fifty or a hundred yards would be of
great benefit. Everything connected with
the hogs, fences, buildings, bedding. etc,
should be burned or used for some other
purpose. This is recommended for the
simple reason that they will never be safe
to use with hogs any more. D,sinfecting
should not be depended on to purify the
build ngs for use of hogs.
Some of the symptoms: 1t will be MOTTO
ed that the animal is stupid incln ned to
| lie down more than usual, and mostly in
| a wet place, indc3t ng some fever. They
will also be noticed to stagger when walk
ing or walk sideways. The bel changes
color. and dark splotches appear on the
surface of the skin. The bowels may
be constipated, but later are very loose,
and the excrement has a very disagree
able fetid odor that is unmistakable. The
animal loses appetite, and generally tries
| to hide in some qu ct place. A few may
get well. but death usually follows within
| three or four days.