The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-07-23
The Susceptibility of the Hog;
Protect Against Cholera
Few Survive the Ravages of the Contagious Virus
of the Hog Cholera

The consideration given to the
problem of disease control is vely
often the factor which determines the
profit realized or the loss incurred
in swine-breeding, or swine-feeding ac-
tivities.
OF all The diseases of swine, the
most widespread and the most de-
structive is hog cholera. The United
States Department of Agriculture es-
Inmates that hog cholera destroys 90
per cent of all hogs that die from dis
ease in the United States. No section
of the country has remained uninvaded
by the disease, outbreaks of which may
occur at any season of the year. The
financial losses sustained by the swine
raisers have totaled as high as sixty.
five million dollars in a single year,
and the average animal loss for the
last forty years has been more than
thirty million dollars. These figures
represent only the direct loss and DC
not include the many indirect losses
accompanying and subsequent to each
outbreak. In certain sections of the
country outbreaks have been so Sc
we're and widespread that at periods
hog-raising operations have been para,
lyzed
1t has been setimated that in New
Jersey 1000 hogs have died from hog
cholera in a single year. If 1000 of
the 175,OO0 raised annually in the State
are sacrificed to this disease, the ne
cessity for controlling or limiting this
factor of loss can readily be seen, if
pork is to be profitably produced,
especially from high-priced feed.
To achieve success in the control Ct
any contagious or infectious disease,
the herd owner or breeder must first
thoroughly acquaint himself with all
phases and characteristics of that par
ticular disease He cannot intelligently
prescribe ond effectually enforce meas
ures to prevent the introduction of a
disease into his herd, stud or flock, un-
less he is familiar with it's cause,
method of spreading and the most
practical and effective means which
may be employed for its prevention.
This principle applies particularly 10
hog cholera as the responsibility for
it's control or eradication rests very
largely upon the way in which the in
dividual hog owner manages his hero
The livestock sanitary officials may
advise concerning the vaccination OF
exposed hogs, the quarantine and dis
infection of premises, but unless these
instructions are conscientiously car
ried out, all efforts to protect other
hogs from cholera and to free the
premises from disease-producing ma
terial will have been lost.
1t must be clearly understood that
hog cholera is very highly contagious
of infectious disease of swine. No
other animal can contract the disease,
but other animals may carry the dis
ease-producing material on their feet
or bodies from sick hogs or infected
pens to healthy, susceptible hogs or
uninfected premises.
Cause
The disease is caused by a germ or
microorga1ism which grows and null
tiplies in the bodies, particularly in
the blood of affected hogs. The germ
is so small that it cannot be seen with
the most powerful microscope It
passes through the finest filters or
strainers used to collect ordinary
germs from blood or other fluids in
which they are found. Because of the
fact that it it passes through these
filters, it has been termed ''the filter
able virus of hog cholera" or is co-n-
monty referred to as "hog cholera
virus"
The nature of the disease, the meth
DDS by which it spreads and the fact
that the blood of the cholera-infected
hog will produce the disease in sus-
ceptible animal, all prove that the dis
ease is due to germ.
Conditions Which Invite Hog Cholera
There are many factors or influences
which pfedispose or render hog more
susceptible to cholera, but the disease
itself cannot occur in an animal that
has not come into contact with hog
cholera virus. ANY disease. surround
ing influence or condition, which re-