The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1913-12-05


station. The bulletin contains yalua.
bic suggestions for identifying the
seed of quack grass, western wheat
grass, and slender wheat grass.
The Identification requires exami.
CONCERNING FAKE HOG CHOLERA
"cURES."
BY Or. G. C. LiPp,
Professor Of Veterinary Medicine,
South Dakota Ctate College,
Brookings, S. D.
Il is an old truism that a drowning
man grasps at a straw. The hog owner
becomes the drowning man just as
soon as cholera makes its appearance
in his neighborhood. The straw he
grasps at in a most frantic manne is
any so-called cholera cure. The farm
er is not entirely to blame. He is not
fully aware that hog cholera is incur
able and is SO regarded by the highest
veterinary authorities in all countries.
Lacking this knowledge, he still thinks
that some untried drug or chemical
or combination of them may stay his
losses. When al advertisement or an
agent guaranteeing a cure for cholera
gains the farmers attention, be fire.
q~uently grasps what he considers his
opportunity 10 save his hogs. This sup
posed cure is the straw at which the
drowning man grasps.
The nature Of hog cholera, the vari-
u y for the exit and entrance
Of the infection into hogs, the ap-
nearncc OF diseased organs, the COM
plications incident to cholera, are all
we'll known facts. available to any
earnest student. This does not mean
that any one can become familiar with
all phases Of hog cholera without
years of study under competent IN
struction.
in the pioneer days when the live
stock interests could not afford the
services 81 trained veterinarians, i.
was necessary for all owners to treat
their ailing animals. The dis
cases treated we're as many and "a.
ried al Tie medicines used, and when
an animal recovered the recovery was
/ always attributed to the remedy. Sci
entifc research has demonstrated that
many OF the remedies had no thera-
p|euting value whatever, and when re-
covery occurred il was in spite of the
treatment and not the result of it.
This is not 10 be construed as mean
49, +3,1+ al re {h1 rar.9aIiau trcn1 wrnro
yalEeless. Some Of them were Of the
hienest value and are in daily use
now. but many Of them were not indi-
Gated in the treatment of the diseases
for which they were employed.
The above situation with regard to
hog cholera prevails today in many
localities. Many formers claim TO have
a cure for this disease. Many firms
are Haunting the most useless prep
arations before the farmers whose
hogs are dying of cholera, knowing
that as a last resort the farmers viii
grasp at anything that offers relief.
When it is remembered that all drugs
Offering the faintest hope for cure
have been repeatedly tried in this and
every other hog-raising country. and
found useless. it seems most absurd
that any man or group OF men. often
without accurate and scientific know!-
edge OF the disease processes of hog
cholera, or of the action OF the drugs
used. should announce a cure for chol-
era
The veterinary department at state
1r,~c l,ily rocyy1ofc
for information concerning so-called
cures for cholera. Often samples OF
these cures are sent for analysis or
trial. To those unfamiliar with the
situation 1t may seem strange THAI
tests or ANALYSIS of these cures are
not made. In the first place no funds
are available for the purchase OF hogs
for tests Of this kind. Money was ap-
propriated for the purchase Of hogs
for serum production and not for test.
ing fake cholera cures. In the second
place. the entire time Of all men EN-.
ployed in the veterinary department is
fully occupied with the work OF serum
production.
In view OF the above facts 1t seems
like a most useless expenditure OF
money to invest in any so-called cure
for cholera. Not only is 1t a waste OF
money but the the disappointment to
the farmer is OF no small importance.
Several dlsappointments like that nat
urally make him skeptical about the
value or all cholera treatment, and
even raises a serious question in his
mind concerning the value OF hog chill.
era serum as a preventative. Disap-
pointment following the use Of fake
cures has made doubling Thomases Of
many farmers whenever hog cholera
is mentioned. Much OF this IS due
not to the inef1ciency Of serum but
70 valueless remedies SO often ad-