39 



cation. There, for the first time, the double or serum-virus 

 treatment was tried, one of the sickest pigs being bled by cut- 

 ting off the tail, and the blood injected simultaneously with the 

 serum. Every precaution was taken to prevent the further 

 spread of the disease, and it may be said that at the present writ- 

 ing the outbreak is under complete control. A large supply of 

 serum was cabled for and arrived in record time, and the total 

 losses of hogs were undoubtedly limited to less than ten per cent 

 of what they would have been if the serum treatment had not 

 been known. 



The source of infection remains unknown. No hogs were im- 

 ported from abroad and no herds were known to be infected 

 at the time. The outbreak must, therefore, be ascribed to either 

 a recrudescence of dormant virus on the respective premises 

 where the disease appeared, or to so-called ''carriers." 



The simultaneous appearance of chicken cholera, a disease of 

 poultry almost identical with hog cholera and by some authors 

 considered even transmissible from hogs to poultry and vice 

 versa, speaks for the recrudescence theory. This disease, chicken 

 cholera, appeared among a shipment of muscovy ducks from 

 Mokapu and consigned to the territorial marketing division. 

 Prompt treatment with intestinal disinfectants — sulphate of iron 

 — and thorough disinfection in connection with the segregation 

 of the infected and exposed birds, seems to have effectively 

 checked the outbreak by this time. 



Sore-head or Chicken Pox. 



The statement in my September report to the effect that sore- 

 head in poultry could be successfully treated by means of a 

 vaccine made from the crusts or cores removed from the heads 

 of affected birds appeared to have been welcome to a number of 

 chicken raisers. Mr. H. F. Fisher of Olaa, Hawaii, responded 

 immediately by sending a small bottle full of such crusts removed 

 from the combs and wattles of more than 200 imported black 

 minorcas. Sore-head, or chicken pox, had made its appearance 

 among these fine birds with disastrous results, nearly one-third 

 having died at the time the information reached him that the 

 disease could be treated successfully. 



When the material forwarded was received, the vaccine was 

 immediately prepared and, with the Board's approval, the writer 

 left the following day for Hilo in order to make personal observa- 

 tions on the effect of the treatment. 



As stated nearly one-third of more than 300 head of black 

 minorcas had already died, and very few of the remaining birds 

 were unaffected when the writer arrived with the vaccine. 



As a special paper is being prepared on this subject, it is un- 

 necessary here to go into detail about the preparation and appli- 

 cation of the vaccine. Suffice it to say that upon the writer's 



