Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-08-17
HOG SERUM danger.
ne sort 70 DousLE TREATMENT
FOUND. TO SPREAD
DISEASE.
UP 70 SOMEBODY TO LAY
STRONG HAND ON PLAGUE
Much Has Been Accomplishing But
More Systematic Supervision 10 Re-
quirsd-Dovbls Treatment Should
Not Be Used Except in Herds Where
Dissass Already Prevails.
Special to TinnAs-Republican.

Spec1al to TlmaS-RepuDl1can
Des Moines. Aug. lit is going to
be up to somebody now pretty soon to
lay a stronger hand upon the hog chol-
era plague than has yet been done.
There appears to have been developing
some radical differences Of opinion as
to results and methods. Much has been
accomplished, but not all that is pos
sible.
The information came to the Iowa
animal health board the other day that
in the state of North Dakota, after
much experimenting, they have for
hidden entirely the use of the stimuli
taneous treatment for the hog cholera,
and will confine themselves to the
single or serum treatment.
The irony of fate has shown itself
in two notable instances in Iowa, show
ing the imperfection of the system and
suggesting that much is yet to be
learned. Representative Henry Brady,
Of Dallas county, who is a farmer, in
troduced one of the bills for q state
serum plant and he has been an en-
thusiastic advocate of the stale taking
hold OF the matter in large way. But
he also raises hogs. He has sought
as earnestly as any one can to apply
the very best methods of safeguarding
against losses. But despite all, he has
suffered losses on his farm from the
cholera. The other case Is that OF
Henry Lau, Of Scott county. a most en-
thusiastic advocate of the simultaneous
treatment method of fighting the chol-
era, and last week he lost twenty two
head of hogs, despite the greatest OF
precautions.
Dangers illustrated.
The Scott county case Illustrated the
danger of the simultaneous treatment.
A herd had been treated with both
virus and serum. 1t was apparently
similarly treated. The first herd de-
veloped the cholera, caught probably
from the second treatment, the first
was supposed the virus used in the first
herd was ineffective.
Now the work being done in Dallas
county. under state and federal SUI
pervision, involves the use of both
treatments; but this principle is fol-
lowed, that the simultaneous treatment
is not made use Of on any farm where
no cholera has ever appeared. but
only where it has actually made its ap-
pearance. Where it is desired to i'm
munize herds that are entirely free
from the cholera, only the serum meth
cd is used.
It has long been the contention Of the
state veterinary department that the
use of the virus is a dangerous thing
and should be safeguarded In every
possible way, and in fact the virus
should not be administered except by
persons Of skill and experience. The
reason Is that the virus is intended to
create and establish the hog cholera
itself in a herd. It's use on a stock
farm means that the farm is converted
into a cholera farm whether it was one
before or not. A drop of the infection
getting away might contaminate a
whole neighborhood, or at least start
dangerous center of infection. For
that reason, the state veterinary de-
partment never advises a farmer to
apply the simultaneous treatment, but
does advise Of the danger and leave
the decision with the farmer.