252 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



HOG CHOLERA. 



In the latter part of 1905 it was reported that quite a large 

 number of hogs and pigs were dying in and around the city of 

 Waterville. At first the commissioners thought, as the law did 

 not provide for an appraisal upon hogs, that we had no juris- 

 diction over the matter. The disease first broke out upon the 

 farm of Mr. G. F. Terry and he called Dr. A. Joly of Waterville 

 to diagnose and treat the case. Dr. Joly thought the disease 

 might be cholera and in order to make certain he sent some 

 of the fecal matter and some of the blood to Mr. H. F. Quinn, 

 the State Bacteriologist, who found the bacilli of hog cholera. 

 At this time Mr. Terry called upon the Commissioners and in- 

 sisted that they ought to do something in the matter, as it was 

 a contagious disease and spreading rapidly and causing a heavy 

 loss upon the farmers in that vicinity. Under these circum- 

 stances we felt it our duty under the law to do what we could 

 to stop the spreading of the disease, if possible, and suggested to 

 Dr. Joly that he confer with the Bureau of Animal Industry at 

 Washington in order to get what information he could upon 

 the matter. He did so and we submit his report upon the results 

 obtained : 



"Hon. Cattle Commissioners of the State of Maine : 



Gentlemen : I hereby submit my report of the investigation 

 and work done, during an outbreak of hog cholera, which pre- 

 vailed in Kennebec and Somerset counties. I was called to 

 G. F. Terry's farm on January 4th, 1906, and was told that the 

 disease appeared sometime in November, 1905, and that about 

 40 hogs had died. By the symptoms found and history of the 

 disease related, I had reason to believe and suspect hog cholera, 

 so one hog was killed on the premises that day, and post 

 mortem showed ulcers of the bowels, extravasation of blood 

 into the tissues, the spleen enlarged and ulcers present. Some 

 of the fecal matter and some of the blood were sent to the State 

 Bacteriologist, H. F. Quinn, who succeeded in isolating the 

 bacillus of hog cholera. 



The Bureau of Animal Industry was asked for instructions. 

 What could be done? Could any serum be used with benefit? 

 Dr. Melvin answered that the Bureau had no serum to recom- 

 mend and did not believe it to be a practical form of treatment 



