Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1911-10-27
HOG CHOLERA EPIDEMIC.

wv OttO66nA 6TIUEmlO.
The whole state of Kansas is now
suffering from the most serious cpl
demic of hog cholera that has ever
been known in the state, in spite of
the hog cholera serum used in vacci-
nation and the long years Of exper-
lence in dealing with the disease.
The state live stock sanitary depart
ment has done about all it can to
put down the epidemic and the state
agricultural college with lis serum
plant has done about all It can. The
state live stock sanitary commission
er is now simply devoting his time
to determining how the disease is
carried long distances, from one farm
to another and from one county to
another. If that could be determined
it would be only one step to devise
some means to prevent lis spread.
1t is estimated by Mr.. Mercer that
more than one million dollars has
been lost by Kansas farmers and
stockpaisens this fall through hog
cholera. This loss has come in spite
OF the fact that there is a known IRE
ventative for the disease. The trou-
Die is that there is only one serum
plant in the state, and this is
at the state agricultural college. amid
1T is totally unable TO supply the de-
mand for serum. The hogs of hun
dreds of farmers who have asked for
serum are dying because the serum
cannot be supplied.
In onder to prevent unnecessary
spread of the disease, DR.. O. O. Wolf
member of the state veterinary
board has sent out a warming to the
farmers throughout the state urging
that all cholera hogs be burned or
buried to prevent the birds from get
ting at their bodies. 1t is believed
that the disease is carried in some
cases by this agency. There is no
actual proof of this but it is said by
people who have watched that birds
Will eat from the carcas of a hog
that has died of cholera then fly away
TO some feed yard where theme is mo
cholera and that in time the disease
breaks out there. Whether or not the
birds are responsible is not known
Gut if they are, the burning or bury
Ing OF the dead hogs will prevent the
spread of the disease by that means. ,
II is possible that our state will make
an order requiring that all hogs dy-
ing OF cholera be burned or buried.
Litter dropped from, a car in which
There was cholera wiped out five
nerds of hogs at Leloup. The hogs in
The car were dead and were being
shipped to a soap factory in Kansas
city. That proved to investigators
that cholera may be transmitted on
straw or any other litter blown
from one place to another. 1t has also
been determined that cholera will re- /
main with sheds and buildings for a
long time after herd has been wip-
ed out 1t also stays with car. /
Farmers at Salina lost their hogs be-
cause a small bunch was shipped in
a car in which dead cholera hogs had
been shipped to a soap factory. The
hog the farmers shipped were
nea1hy but soon took the disease
and died, transmitting it to
cher hogs in the vicinity. The d.
saaGe was In the car.
Il IS possible the state will is
sue an order requiring that all sheds
and coTals in which cholera hogs
have been kept be burned. This and
1he burning of the csrcaSses are rad
zeal measures but the state authCri-
ties have reached the conclusion that
l; is time for such measures. The
state sanitary commissioner may also
make an order prohibiting the sale
Of hogs that have died of cholera fOI
soap making or for any other purpose
This is the worst epidemic Of
cholera have ever known of in Kan
Sas,' said Mr.. Mercer.
Mr.. and Mrs. VIII Hammond visited
friends in HoiSinolton CnIndav