The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-24
SERUM THAT SAVES
HOGS FROM DEATH.
Discovery Made Which as Rem
cdy Or, Preventative Achieves
Results With Cholera.
HOPE TO STAMP OUT DISEASE
Officials Of Agricultural Depart.
ment and Farmers Of North
west to Take Matter Up.
rlmes. plspatch Bureau.


There are many thousands OF farm
ers in, the United States who do not
know that the Department OF Agricul-
turo has almost banished cholera, the
bane OF hog raisers from the stys and
fields OF America The disease former
w caused an annual loss OF millions
or dollars to the farmers of America.
Investigation and experimentation by
the experts OF the department have re-
suited in the discovery of serum.
which as remedy or preventative, has
achieved most remarkable results.
conference OF representatives Of
the Department OF Agriculture and Of
the agricultural experiment stations OF
several States to consider plans for
supplying serum for the prevention and
treatment OF hog cholera will be held
at Ames. iowa. on May 2sth. The de-
partment will be represented by Sec
rotary of Agriculture James Wilson,
Or. A. D. Melvin. Chief OF the Bureau
OF Animal Industry, and DR.. NJ Dorset,
chief OF the bfochenlic division Of that
bureau. and invitations have been ex-
tended by the department to the ex-
pertinent stations OF number OF
States convenient to the place OF meet
ing to send representatives. The con-
ference viii take place on a farm
Animal Industry for experimental work
with hog cholera for several years.
AS the elimination of many years
OF scientific experimental work the
bureau has developed a method OF
treatment which Is effective In saving a
high percentage OF hogs in affected
herds. Tits method has been tested in
field experiments on large scale ard
under practical conditions. and the
bureaus results have been confirmed
by experiments by the Missouri and
Minnesota experiment stations with
serum furnished by the bureau. AS
examples OF the effectiveness OF the
treatment. 1t is stated that In num-
Der OF herds. which were treated and
afterwards exposed to the contasion OF
hog cholera, portion OF each herd be-
ing left untreated as a check on the
results. only per cent. OF the treat
ed animals died. while the loss among
the untreated hogs was 81 per cent. In
herds which had been exposed to the
disease. but Were not sick at time OF
treatment, 12 per cent OF the treat
ed and SO per cent. OF the untreated
animals died. In herds in which the
disease had already broken out before
treatment began. the loss among treat
ed hogs was 10 per cent and among
Suites May Furnish Serum.
In order to make the treatment
available for general use It is neces.
sary that some steps should be taker
Tor supplying the serum to hog rails
ers. The Department OF Agriculture
docs not wish to attempt the tremen.
dous undertaking of preparing serum
for the whole country. Secretary vii
sons view being that the problem car
best be handled by the several States
taking 1t UP through their agricultural
experiment. stations and arranging Il
furnish the serum to their own citi
gems.
1t is to consider this subject thai
the gathering at Ames has been called
The representatives OF the experiment
stations will there be given an op
portunity to observe in actual opera
tion the method of producing the serum
and applying the treatment. II tn,
object OF the conference is successful,
carried out this will mean long ste,
toward relieving the farmers OF tn.
country from what has been sourc,
of heavy loss for many years.