The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-02-19
PICS DYING
OF CHOLERA
Disease is at Work
Among Island
Swine.

attacked by WHal Is bStIShSO ~ nc NO
cholera or swine plague. The disease,
whatever it is, is rapidly decimating
the herds of animals this and other
Islands of the group. 1t is reported to
have caused the most havoc in kalihi
Valley, where large numbers of hogs
and pigs have died lately, with symp-
toms very similar to cholera.
out of herd OF twenty-five hogs at
the Kamehameha School, six hogs died
within the past few days, and losses
in other places are about in the same
proportion, though reports have been
received only at infrequent intervals.
Prof F. G.. Krauss of the Kamehame-
ha School, yesterday brought to the
United States experimental station the
spleen and lungs of one Of the animals
which was so afflicted, and they will
be sent by the next steamer to Wash
ington, for analysis by the Bureau OF
Animal Industry. The disease here,
according to Professor Krauss' report.
is accompanied by cough and redness
of the skin, and death generally en-
sues suddenly and without any pre-
vious illness. The exact nature of the
disease is not known, but is thought
plague.
These two diseases resemble each
other very closely in their symptoms,
Il and il requires an examination of the
internal organs after the anlmalS
death, and in many cases mlcroscop-
zeal study, to clearly distinguish be-
tween them Hog cholera and swine
T1lN similar in
toms, but in their effect upon the bod
les of the affected animals. They re-
semble each other in that both are
caused by bacteria; they must be COM
bated by measures which VIII prevent
exposure to these bacteria or destroy
them after they have been introduced
upon the premises, and The sick ami
mails must be treated by remedies
which will reduce the fever, stop the
multiplication of the germs, and assist
| the affected organs in resuminS their
normal functions.
The disease has not been altogether
unknown prior to this time in the Ha
waiian Islands, though never before
has any attempt been made to stay its
ravages. From time TO time there have
/ been similar reports, though the disease
has never been designated by any par
ticular name. There have been but
few reports recently from people who
lost pigs by this disease, though it is
the belief of the local officials at the
experimental station that the disease
| is prevalent to a considerable extent
in the Islands at this time. Reports
are consequently desired al the Capitol
building office, in order that remedies
may be suggested to prevent an cpl
demic a few bulletins dealing with
hog cholera are on hand and Will be
furnished upon application.
Hog cnolera is particularly fatal to
young pigs. and often attacks them
when the old hogs escape. The older
animals have a greater power of re
distance to the virus, and this power,
which is also known as immunity, is
Increased when hogs have been expos
ed and only so slightly infected that
they have recovered after an illness of
some duration. or without showing any
evident symptoms of the disease. IN
other words, if hog cholera breaks out
lamong a herd of swine and is checked
and apparently eradiCated by medical
treatment, the hogs that are saved are
lcapable of resisting the Contagiun on
| the premises. while purchased hogs
that have not been exposed Will. when
| put with the others, contract the dis
ease and die. This shows that the
virus has remained upon the premises
land the hogs have been saved not by
| the destruction OF the contagion. but
lby keeping the infected hogs alive until
they became immune. This is an i'm
lportant fact. and one which should be
kept constantly in mind IN applying
measures of prevention.
The virus of hog cholera is more
tenacious. more resisting to the condi-
lions which affect the vitality of bac-
terra than that OF swine plague. and
lit is also more easily spread and com
lmunicated to healthy animals. Swine
contract hog cholera by taking the
virus into the body with the food OF
drink, by inhaling it with the air. and
Hess frequently by its gaining entrance
through the surface of fresh wound.
ION the other hand, the virus of swine
iplaSue is generally. if not always. tax
len into the lungs With the inhaled air.
! The time that elapSes between in
Election and the appearance of the first
symptoms of illness. known as the pc
riod of incubation, varies from four tO
Twenty days. During this period the
iSerms are multiplying slowly and are
gradually overcoming the vital powers
of the animal by means of poisonous
Substances which they produce as the
result of their growth.
SYMPTOMS
The symptoms of serious diseases OF
q ,