The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1914-05-01

resentatiyes Mr.. Garrett: Your
request Of recent date that the Depart
ment supply you with specific advice as
to the best ways OF coping with hog
cholera, which you state is now seri-
GUS menace to swine in your district, I
regard as very important one. Accord
ing to the last census, hogs we're an inn
portant feature Of the agricultural pro-
duction of your section. In 1910 10
your district there were $50, ,64S swine,
valued at 81, ,0S6, ,524. 1t is apparent,
therefore, that unless hog cholera can
be controlled serious loss must be en-
dured by your agricultural population.
The proverb that An ounce OF pre-
vention is worth pound Of cure" is
especially applicable to hog cholera, and
cooperation among farmers in combat
ing the disease is very important. When
hog cholera breaks out on farm the
farmers in the neighborhood should
join in a strong effort to confine the
disease to the one farm where it already
exists by institutng strict quarantine,
and also, when possible, by the admin
istration of the protective serum to the
droves on adjoining farms. 1t is mis-
take to neglect timely sanitary precau-
tions and to rely wholly on the use Of
serum. The serum is useful not SO
much for curing hogs sick with the dis
ease as for preventing other hogs from
taking it.
Every farmer should make absolutely
certain that no dirt or implement is
brought from an infected hog lot into
another hog lot. Hog cholera can be
carried in dirt on shoes, on wagon
wheels, or on the feet OF dogs. It has
been proved that pen OF hogs infected
with hog cholera can be kept within ten
feet Of well herd without communicat-
ing the disease, provided no dirt or im-
plement or other object is moved from
the former to the latter pen. Ifshow-+
ever, the pen with the uninfected hogs
should be cleaned with hoe orsshovel
that has been used in the infected pen
the well herd would be almost certain
to get the disease. Dogs, crows, and
buzzards can transport particles Of flesh
from dead hogs and thus carry the dis
ease.
The following precautions are recon-
mended the contagion from an infected
drove:
(D DO not locate hog lots near a
public highway, railroad, or stream.
The germ OF hog cholera may be car
ried along any one Of these avenues
(2) Do not allow strangers or neigh
bors to enter your hog lots, and do not
60 into your neighbors' lots. If it is
absolutely necessary to pass from one
hog lot into another, first clean your
shoes carefully and then wash them
with 8 per cent solution Of the COM
pound solution of cresol (U. s. P.)
(3) DO not put new stock, either
hogs or dattle, in lots with herd al
ready on the farm. Newly purchased
hogs should be put in separate enclos-
ures well separated from the herd on
the farm and kept under observation
for three weeks, because practically all
stock cars, unloading chutes and pens
are infected with hog cholera, and hogs
shipped by rail are therefore apt to con-
tract hog cholera.
(4) Hogs sent to fairs should be
luarantined for at least three weeks af-
ier they return to the farm.
% II hog cholera breaks out on the
arm, separate the sick from the appar-
sntly healthy animals and burn all car
asses OF dead animals on the day of
ieath. Do not leave them unburned,
or this will endanger all other farmers
n the neighborhood.
(6) If after the observance Of all ,
possible precautions hog cholera APP /
bears on your farm, notify the State j
or State Agricultural Col
ege, and secure serum for the treat !
nent Of those not affected. The early !
application Of this serum is essential.
Some Of these precautions may seem
and troublesome, but they j
% not cost much, aud they are very /
aluable preventive measures. 81
1t would be physically and financially !
impossible to treat every hog in the i
United States with the anti.hog-cholera !
erum. In many States the authorities
an not supply enough serum to treat i
be infected and exposed herds, to say i
othing Of making immune ali herds /
hat are not affected, When an out