Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1910-12-02
Hogs Protected From Cholera.


Mr.. Editor AT meeting of the Farm
ers' Club of Goshen held at the residence
of Mr.. H. H. Griffith, on November II. 1910.
a paper on Hog Cholera was presented by
Mr.. H. j. Shore, of the Federal Bureau of
Animal Industry, in which were discussed
the symptoms and LESSONS of the disease,
the way in which it is spread and its pre-
vention by the protective serum, which has
recently been developed by the Bureau Of
Animal Industry.
The club believing the matter subject
of general interest to the county, sends
you summary in hopes you will place 1t
before our fellow-farmers.
Yours very truly,
BEVERLY r. CoDwIsE.
IAN parts of the United States suffer
losses from this disease. The average loss
sustained is estimated at $4,000, 900
annually. In spreading hog cholera the
most important factor is the sick hog, but
any agency which may serve to carry
particle of dirt from infected yards, even
the shoes of a visiting farmer returning
to his own unaffected stock. may be the
means Of starting the disease.
IAN efforts to control hog cholera by
means of quarantine and disinfection gen.
orally fail for the reason that they are not
carried out in rigorous manner. The
English have tried to eradicate the disease
by enforcing quarantine, but have been
unsuccessful. At this time we know of no
cure for hog cholera, although so-called
cures are numerous and extravagant claims
are made for all of them. 1t is only re-
Gently that the Bureau of Animal Industry
has developed a substance which will pro-
tect hogs from hog cholera. This is serum
which is obtained from hogs that are inn
mune against hog cholera after these inn
munes have been treated with large guam
tity of cholera blood. Injection of the
serum into well hogs cOnfers an immunity
lasting about one month If, however, they
are Immediately exposed to cholera or are
inOculated with a small quantity of blood
taken from hog sick of hog cholera they
are rendered permanently immune. The
serum. if properly prepared, is incapable
of setting up any disease. Probably one
hundred thousand hogs have been treated
by this serum to date, with satisfactory
results. The Department of Agriculture
does not manufacture the serum for gen.
eral distribution but numerous States have
taken up the work. The legislatures have
appropriated money for this purpose and
the manufacture and distribution of the
serum is in the hands of the State veterina-
rian or agricultural experiment stations.
Encouraging reports have been made by
all the States that are engaged in this
work. In those that are preparing serum
for the farmers the serum is either dis
tributed free of charge or sold at price
equivalent to the cost of production.
Representatives of the Bureau of Ami
NAL Industry have treated quite number
Of herds throughout the country for the
purpose of demonstrating the efficacy of the
serum. Such an experiment was recently
made at the Union Stock Yards, South
Omaha, Nebraska, and few herds have
been treated in Maryland for demonstra-
ton purposes
THE serum appears to be an agent with
which hog cholera may be eradicated, for
with proper organization each State can
be divided into districts of the proper size,
each district being in charge of deputy
State veterinarian, who should be notified
Immediately after the appearance of the
disease in neiehborhood. He could pro-
coed to the place where the outbreak is
starting and treat all the well hogs by in
jectiOns of serum alone, the herds on the
farms surrounding the affected herd should
be treated in a suitable manner. 1t is
reasonable to suppose that in this way the
disease could be controlled and in time
stamped out.
There is no doubt of the value of the
serum in preventing hog cholera. The only
problem is its distribution among the
farmers. and as the National Government
is not manufacturing it for general dstri-
button it is apparent that the hog raisers
in the various States will have to look to
their respective Legislatures for funds for
carrying on this work
.