The Sauk Centre herald., 1911-07-06
HOG CHOLERA=--NO. 9.
BY Dr.. M. n. Reynolds, Mime
sofa University Farm.
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sofa university Farm.
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Farmers should not consider the
hog-cholera serum, now being pro-
duced by the Minnesota Experiment
Station, as cure. 1t is primarily
preventative. However, evidence has
accumulated, in recent years, which
seems to show that the serum has
considerable value as a treatment, if
applied very early in the disease.
We consider it as generally waste
of serum to use it for hogs obviously
sick. This means that, if used at all
as a curative treatment, 1t must be
done during the first few days after
Infection. We would like to have
farmers who are thinking Of using this
serum understand that it is not put
out as treatment We do not prom
ise any curative value; we do not as
sumo responsibility for good results
when 1t is used in sick herds, al
though we have had the best of re-
suits from it's use in cases where the
serum was used soon after the dis
ease first appeared in the herd.
ksepsnp Quality Of the Serum.
One of the most important prac-
tical points of this serum is good
keeping qualities. Experience seems
to show that serum properly prepared,
kept cool and in dim light, Is good
for at least year. Serum has been
demonstrated good, in some cases,
at two years. Tslis may enable us to
accumulate serum during years when
there is little cholera, and thus to
have stock on hand for year when
cholera may prevail extensively.
Vaccination as a Possible Cause Of
Scattering the Disease.
One method of vaccination calls for
injection of both serum and hog
cholera virus. The thinking farmer
will naturally inquire at once, wteth-
er there is not danger of spreading
cholera in this way; and 1t is very
reasonable question. The best possi-
BILE answer is the one given US by
practical experience. It would seem
theoretically possible to scatter chol-
era in this way. But practical expe-
rience tells us that it does not oc-
cur, or occurs with such extreme rari-
ty that it is unimportant
Experience shows that very small
percentage Of hogs are made sick by
proper vaccination. In case a hog
becomes actually sick from vaccfna-
ton, and shows diarrhea then it is
probable that the manure of such sick
hog would usually contain infection.
This theoretical danger is Offset by
the practical fact that all the hogs
with which it is associated are i'm
mune and will not take the infection;
and SO no outbreak is started even in
these rare cases of infection.
The small percentage of cases
where sickness is produced by vacci-
nation; the fact that all hogs exposed
are immune, and the further fact that
there is only small chance of inAee-
ton being scattered from one hog
surrounded by immunes to suscepti-
BILE hogs on distant farms, renders
the practical danger very light. The
chance of spreading the infection In
this way does not seem to be a mat
ter of practical importance. We have
done some experimental work to test
the danger of such infection and re-
suits have been negative. We have
given susceptible hogs the closest
possible exposure in small pens with
vaccinated hogs, in experimental
work, without i'll effects for the sus-
ceptible hogs. 1t is possible that one
doing this double vaccination could be
careless and spills virus, and that the
infection might then get to distant,
susceptible hogs. Actual experience
indicates that this also is theoreti-
cal possibility of small practical i'm
portance.
NEBRASKA GATE ON WHEELS,