Morris tribune., 1914-07-31
HOW CHOLERA IS
CURED BY FAKERS
TWO-THIRDS OF CASES ARE
NOT CHOLERA.
Government Investigators in
Renville County Find that
Many Hogs Have Digestive
Disorders which Cholera
Cures" May Appear to
Remedy.-Use of Virus May
Be Forbidden.

@NSAAA~Ny" OSC VA A 10 NAoy
Be Forbidden.
Minneapolis Tribune: = Pity the
Minnesota hog; he is much -maligned
critter for ne is not so choleric as he
has been represented to be.
Fully two-Uhird of the disease afflic-
tiOns of the states hog population,
popularity supposed to be cholera, are
not cholera at all, according to con-
clusions of federal government experts
who are conducting an investigation
in Renville county on the nature of
hog cholera and methods of combat
ing it.
FEDERAL EXPERTS ON TRAIL.
Last May the bureau OF animal in
dustry of the United States depart
ment of Agriculture sent four specia-
lists to the county to conduct a
thorough study of the cholera situa-
tion. They are doing it in co-opera-
tion with the Minnesota agricultural
experiment station and the state live
stock sanitary board. Reports of pro-
gress made have been received by DR..
II. Preston Hoskins, of the uni
versity's veterinary science division.
TWO-THIRDS DIDN'T HAVE
CHOLERA.
"The findings of the government
men in Renville county as to the mis-.
diagnosis of cholera corroborate the
conviction held by our division, said
DR.. Hoskins. "They have discovered
that of all the herds in the county re-
ported to them as infected with chol-
era, fully two thirds didn't have chol-
era at all. They had some other d.
sease, most often digestive disturb
ances. Eating of green barley in
many cases seems to have caused trou-
BILE of this kind. 1t is fair to infer
that this condition in Renville county
is typical of the whole state and of
the Northwest.
1T follows that thousands of hogs
have been treated with serum in the
past several years that never had any
cholera in their midst and this means
great waste of serum. The waste
is especially deplorable when one con-
siders that many farmers with herds
actually infected with cholera could
not get serum because uf the restricted
supply.
"We have been aware of the fact
that large quantities of serum have
been used where there was no need
and have tried to restrict the prac-
tice whenever possible. The findings
point emphatically to the advisability
of diagnosis by skilled veterinarian
in all cases of suspected cholera and
the use of serum only after this dag
nosis has given a cholera verdict" f"
OyERRUN WITH "CUREs.
An enlightening phase of the situa-
ton, according to DR.. Hoskins, is
presented by the relation of alleged
cholera cures and the results of their
use.
"The state is overrun with SO. called
cholera cures" he said, "and the
reason why some of them seem in GER
, tain cases to have been effective ap-
pears to be because they weren't used
for cholera at ali.
81 know of dozen different
/ cures now being vigorously pushed
in Minnesota. They all may be divid-
ed into two classes: Disinfectants
and condition powders. Disinfectanta
always are of some value in getting
rid of germs of all sorts, and condi-
tion powders are not without merit as
preventives of disease in general. But
none of these is a specific for the
cure of cholera. Where no cholera
exists. a herd treated with any OF
these cures may come through in
good shape, and at once the result
is heralded as proof of the efficacy
of the treatment.
DR.. Hoskins was asked as to the ex-
tent of cholera in Minnesota today
compared with past summers. I'll
would be difficult to compare with
other years" he said. s'but there il
q good deal of cholera in many ol
the counties. We have been able to
. meet the demands for serum on the
experiment station plant, and arr
quitting it out as rapidly as possible. >