I Ali.MKir IXSTriTTKS. i i I 



number of years. In 1895 the GO townships bordering upon ilw Wabash, 

 from Cass County to its mouth, show a loss of 150 head out of every 

 1.000 produced; 47 townsliips in the second tier removed from tlie river 

 sliow a loss of 100 head per 1,000 or 50 per cent, more loss in the lirst 

 tier than in the second tier. In ISno the bordering townships lost 294 

 ho.i?s per 1,000, the second tier 205 and the third tier 100. In other words 

 the loss was 43.4 per cent, more in the first tier tlinn in tlie second tier, 

 and 83.8 per cent, more tlian in the third tier. 



In 1895, 44 townships bordering upon the north forlc of the White River 

 lost 138 hogs per 1,000, and 42 townships in the second tier Go hogs per 

 1,000, or 112 per cent, greater loss in the townships bordering upon the 

 river tlian in those a few miles removed. In 1S!)(;, tlie lo^s in the *irst 

 tier was 231 per 1,000, in the second tier 156, and in the third tier 75, or 

 48 per cent, greater loss in the tirst than in the second, and 208 per cent, 

 greater than in the third. In 1800, 44 townships bordering upon tlie south 

 fork of the White River lost 200 hogs per l.OOtJ: 58 townships in the 

 second tier lost 150, and 42 townships in the third tier lost 109; thus 

 making 33 per cent, more loss in the first than 4n the second, and 83 

 per cent, more loss than in the third. In 1897, the first tier of townships 

 bordering upon the river lost 321 hogs per 1,000, the second tier 1S2. and 

 the third 145; 76 per cent, greater loss in the first than in the second, 

 and 121 per cent, more than in the third. 



In every general epidemic of the disease of which I liave record in 

 this State the disease has been spread from the rivers to the higlu-r land. 

 The evidence furnished by the large number of townships and for suc- 

 cessive years should leave no doubt as to the important role which streams 

 and surface water play in the spreading of this disease. If tlie larger 

 streams are such important factors we can reason that the smaller streams 

 have a like effect. Drs. Salmon and Smith made the following state- 

 ment in their investigations of this disease. It is pertinent and should 

 be remembered by all swine breeders: "Perhaps the most potent agents 

 in tiie distribution of hog cholera are streams. They may become in- 

 fected with the specific germ when sick animals are permitted to go into 

 them, or when dead animals or any part of them are thrown into the 

 water. They may even multiply wlien the water is contaminared with 

 fecal discharges or other organic matter. Experiments in tlie laboratory 

 have demonstrated that the hog cholera bacilli may remain alive in 

 water four months. Making all due allowance for external inlluences 

 and comi)etition with the bacteria in natural water, we are forcid to 

 assume that they may live at least a month in streams. This would be 

 long enough to infect every herd along its course. 



It is a common jiractice throughout this State to give tlie hogs sur- 

 face water in wliich to wallow and to drink. Small streams nrc dammed, 

 drinking iilaces are l)uilt into the rivers, a basin is scooped out to receive 

 the water from a barnyard, open ditch, tile drain or spring." All of 



