The Sauk Centre herald., 1913-10-30
STATE SERUM PLANT
Serum Manufacture Not to Be Ham
pered During Present Cholera
Outbreak by Lack of Funds.

The law passed before the present
cholera outbreak gave the State Ser
um Plant at the University Farm an
appropriation of $4,000 year for
two years, and provided for sale of
serum at one-third of cent per cubic
centimeter, or less than the cost of
production. This fund of $4,000
would soon have been exhausted un-
der instructions to operate the plant
to its fullest capacity, but it was de-
cided to add to this appropriation for
hog cholera revolving fund. These
items, together with the receipts
from the sale of serum, give us about
$4,000 for the year 1884. This will
be enough, we estimate, to operate
the plant to the limit. of its capacity
until about March l, 1914, when the
fund will be exhausted, but it has al
ready been made clear that it will not
be necessary to close the plant at
that time and allow it to remain idle
until the opening of the next fiscal
year. All agree that it must not be
hampered by the lack of funds so
long as the present situation contin-
ues and that any necessary deficit
will undoubtedly be met by the prop
er methods. .
Our instruction from all the sour
ces is that the plant must be operated
to the limit of its capacity and in
creased as rapidly as possible, re-
gardless of funds, and that is exactly
what is being undertaken during
this year. The new fiscal year, begin
ming August /, 1914, would find US
with only the receipts from serum
sales and $4,000 available if no
further appropriation should be made,
but we think that funds will unques-
tionably be provided to continue the
work during the serious outbreak
which seems likely to continue an
other year.
The estimated cost of plant and
support capable of producing 5,0O0,-
900 cubic centimeters of hog cholera
serum during 1914-15 is $4,000 for
building and $4,000 for serum pro-
duction, or a total of $4,000 for SER
UNI production alone, including the
$4,000 which has already been ap-
propriated.
It is very evident that our State
Serum Plant cannot supply the am
ount of serum needed in Minnesota at
present and will probably not be able
to do so for at least another month.
When it became evident early in the
season that it would be impossible
under our present law to produce the
serum that would be needed and order
ed, we adopted a policy of restricting
the output as nearly as possible to
recently infected herds. Under this
plan we endeayored to book orders
for future shipment in order of their
receipt, but. this was unsatisfactory
and since about October 1, we have
been endeavoring to ship promptly
to each man enough for his brood
sows and choicest breeding stock and
more if possible. * r
It is doubtful whether we will be
able to supply enough serum for the
breeding stock that should be held
over even by increasing the number
Of serum producing animals and the
capacity of our plant as rapidly as
possibly. We can determine this only
| by actual trial Serum work is pc
culiar in that it is impossible to make
sufficiently sudden and rapid in
crease of capacity and output. Some
serum plants that have endeayored to
do this in emergency cases have fail
ed and done much more harm than
] good. 1t has always been our policy
to put quality above quantity and te
restrict the quantity rather than risk
the impairment of potency ano
| safety.
With an output necessarily limited
we are endeavoring to make the dis
tribution as fair as possible and in I
general way in proportion to the neet
and demand. Owners should under
| stand that in order to obtain Stat,
serum in accordance with the Law
they must arrange to have it admin
istered by some one who has permi
from the State Live Stock Sanitar,
Board. IN. H. Reynolds, Veterinarian
University Farm, st. Paul.
WELL GROUNDED PROTEST