The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1916-04-28
DREADED HOG CHOLERA
MADE APPEARANCE IN
bO|SESVAlLEy

Hog cholera has broken out again
at several different points in the Boise
valley at least five cases having been
found in the past two or three weeks.
Fortunately in all of these recent cas-
es the disease has been of 4 mild form
that has apparently been checked.
With proper observance of quarantine
regulations on the part of the owners
of these herds, as well as of then
neighbors the trouble should not
spread.
Hog cholera is carried by such
agents as birds, especially magpies and
birds of similar character, dogs, coy
oteS, horses, men, water streams, etc.
| Probably men themselves through
| their visits to infected hog pens, the
exchange of livestock, borrowing OF
farming implements, etc, are more
responsible than any other one agency
for the spread of the disease.
| A number of outbreaks of cholera
have been traced to the more or less
common practice of allowing hogs TO
eat the carcasses of other animals
which have died from any cause. Such
carcasses may not in themselves be
injurious to hogs but when cholera
is in the neighborhood, even within
several miles. they are likely to be-
come infected by the visits of dogs,
coyotes or birds. Where such a prac
tice. which is questionable at best, if
followed, the remains of carcaSses
should be burned at once.
Cholera is more easily prevented
than cured, although prevention is
sometimes impossible with any ordin-
airy means. Keeping up the vitality
of hogs by Kidding them OF worms
and lice, and bv proper feeding and
, care makes them more resistant to
disease but not necessarily immune
from it and if virulent infection gets
into a herd the only known means of
! checking it is the prompt use of anti
} hog-cholera serum, and unless this is
r be effective.
Some hogs die every year from
: causes other than cholera. During
S 1915 out of 1856 herds inspected where
. hogs had died or were sick, only AZ
/ cases of cholera were found. There
: is no other common contagious dis
t ease in the Boise valley, however, and
i every suspicious case should be re-
4 garded as a possible case of cholera
y and diagnosed as soon as possible. A
positive diagnosis of cholera can gen.
2 orally be made only by post-mortem
Y examination which means that it may
0 be necessary to kill an animal for this
Il lpurpose unless one has recently died
g Even post-mortem examinations will
not always show whether or not cho-
e lera is present, but it is always best
= to make such examinations in order
S to defee1, the presence of the disease
j. at the earlist possible moment.
e Through reluctance to sacrifice a
: sick pig worth less than nothing
II some men will run the risk of losing a
o large part of their herds, cases of the
n kind having occurred in the Boise
!, valley.
l. Quarantine is a necessary part oil
d hog-cholera control and should al
o ways be enforced unless voluntarily
= observed In the past, men have at
g tempted to avoid quarantine by con
h ccaling the fact that cholera was pres
ent on their farms, but while few
y short-sighted persons still display thi
tendency, the practice is becoming les
and less noticeable.
The utmost effort that can be mad
to prevent general outbreak of cho
lie lera this year may not be sufficient t.
ct accomplish that result; and withou
te any effort in that direction no out
d break may occur. but in view of tn
G. history of the disease, as long as cho
at lera exists in the Boise Valley tn
ye effort is eminently worth while.
l., H. A. IRELAND,
IL ApriculturiSt Boise PrOieC