Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-01-30
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
BACKS CLAIMS ~ PRESENT.
ING FIGURES.
START MADE IN DRIVING
DISEASE FROM COUNTRY
Saving in Herds made in Every coun.
~ Where Government and State
Authorities ce-epsratsd ia Conduct.
ing Experiments - Farmers Must
Lend Assistance.
Especial Correspondence

1
! Washington. Jan. 30.-A statement
given out by the department of agri-
culture tells how hog cholera is being
combatted by the experts Of the depart
ment. 1t says:
The department of agriculture, dur
ing the past year, has been conducting
campaigns in Indiana, Missouri, Iowa
and Nebraska to CONTROL the contagious
disease of hogs known as hog cholera
by means of anti-hcg cholera serum
and farm guarantees. In one county
(Pettis county, MissourD where there
was loss of IS per cent in 1911 and
ESQ per cent in 1912 OF all hogs raised,
| there was only loss of 14.7 per cent
! up to November, 1913. This decrease
was due to the use of the serum which.
altho not used there by the depart
ment's agents until August. 1913,
materially reduced the loss. About
10000 hogs were raised during the past
year and 81 the 10000 that died of the
hog cholera only about 1000 were lost
after the active use of serum and
quarantine measures were inaugurated
Saving in Every County.
In every county where these meas
ures were employed, even though begun
ravages for some time, there was less
loss from hog cholera than in either of
! the two preceding years
In addition to it's great function as
preventive, it has been found that the
anti hog cholera serum would cure a
large proportion of hogs in the early
stages Of the disease and render Them
immune after recovery. However, il
hogs are not treated by this serum,
from Is to 100 per cent Of all affected
herds die. This serum, so far as is
known. is the only thing that will pre-
vent the disease.
OF hogs actually sick when treated.
the departments inspectors lost but 25
per cent during the past summer. OF
we'll hogs in diseased herds, 90 per
cent died after being treated and OF
hogs in exposed herds less than l per
cent died after being inoculated with
the serum. In an infected herd there
is always a certain proportion Of hogs
that are well.
The inspector examines the hogs
when he arrives. takes thu temperature
Of all hogs I'M the herd and separates
the sick from the. we'll. The tempera-
ture is an indication Of the sickness.
The temperature Of a sick hog, unless
the hog is near reath, will run above
1O4 and sometimes as high as 107 or
10S F.
Only Start Made.
Some states are engaged in the man
|ufacture Of serum to cure this disease.
This serum requires special treatment
to preserve its quality and a qualified
C,,hf al
to treat an average hundred pound hog
costs about 80 cents at liberal esti-
mate The treatment is by hypodermic
injection.
The department in initiating Its
campaign against the devastating hog
disease has only been able to commence
in a few Of the districts where the
cholera was the most widespread and
where the active cooperation Of the
state was offered in enforcing the
ordinary quarantine measures, etc.
Farmers Must Cooperate.
The object Of the department has
been to endeavor to control the disease
and. II possible, to eliminate 1t fror0
the country. To secure this end the
best efforts Of the farmer himself are
necessary. The campaign against this
devastating sickness during 1913 was
planned in the territory selected along
three lines.
1. The education and organization
Of the farmers in districts selected. to
be carried out primarily by the State
College.
2. The enforcement of sanitation
and restrictive regulations by the state
veterinarian.
3. Active supervision by the Bureau
of Animal Industry of the Department
and the incubation Of diseased herds
and exposed herds with the antihog-
cholera serum.
81 Plan Of Organization.
A county in each state was selected
as a unit and the method of work In
that county was, for the state college
TO secure the co-operation of intelli-
gent, active farmers in each township
in the county. These men were called
volunteer assistants and they were to
keep in close communication with the
departments inspector stationed in that
area, keeping him informed Of condi-
tons and securing statistics concerning
the hog industry. In this monner con-
ditions were pretty well learned IN the
territory under inspection. When an
outbreak Of hog cholera was reported
the departments inspector went to that
outbreak and saved all the hogs he
could by treatment. AS the disease Is
verv easily transmitted, he then pro-
tected all herds in the immediate
vicinity by incubation. The idea was
to form zone Of immune animals