FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 151 



SUGGESTIONS AS TO SOME OF THE RECENT DISEASES OF 

 LIVE STOCK, AND REMEDIES. 



DR. G. A. WATERMAN, AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 



Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: 



The topic assigned me for this afternoon, "Suggestions as to Some of 

 the Recent Diseases of Live Stock, and Remedies,'' might lead you to 

 think that you were to hear of something entirely new. This, however, 

 is not the case, as I shall discuss diseases that have existed for a long 

 time, and perhaps the remedies which I shall suggest will not be new 

 to a great many of you. 



The first disease which I wish to speak about is hog cholera. I doubt 

 very much if true hog cholera is very prevalent in Michigan; there is, 

 however, a swine disorder, or perhaps disorders, which is contagious in 

 its nature and which resembles in many respects hog cholera, and 

 which needs the same treatment so far as preventive measures are con- 

 cerned, and the suggestions which I shall otfer will be along this line 

 of prevention, because up to the present time the curative lines of 

 treatment to a very great extent are failures. The contagious diseases 

 among the lower animals must be combated in the same manner as are 

 the contagious diseases affecting the human family, the same as scarlet 

 fever and smallpox, by strict quarantine regulations. In the case of 

 these swine disorders, the affected drove should be quarantined, no 

 outsiders allowed to visit it, and the attendant not allowed to visit other 

 droves. Instead of trying to conceal the fact that a contagious disease 

 exists on the farm, a sign to the effect that such a disease does exist 

 should be posted so that stock owners may take the necessary precau- 

 tions with regard to their own animals. All animals that die should 

 be buried deeply, or better, burn the carcasses rather than draw them 

 into the woods and leave them lying where the wild animals, birds and 

 dogs ma^^ get at them and thus scatter broadcast throughout the commu- 

 nity the germs of the disease. If there is an outbreak of hog cholera, or a 

 similar disease in the neighborhood, it is advisable for the owner of 

 swine, if he has a large drove, to separate it into smaller droves, and 

 to keep these as far apart as is practicable; keep them in comparatively 

 small enclosures, but keep the quarters clean. If allowed the run of a 

 large field the chances for the contraction of the disease, by dogs, small 

 wild animals or birds, carrying the infection from a carcass carelessly 

 left without proper care, are very great. The small enclosure reduces 

 this, one of the principal sources of infection, to a minimum. If it so 

 happens that one of the animals becomes affected, remove the healthy to 

 new quarters at once, after removing from them all the dirt possible by 

 washing. Leave the diseased where it is. Here again the small en- 

 closure is an advantage, as the area infected is small, and the work of 

 disinfecting is very much lessened. To disinfect, burn all litter and 

 material of little value; wash the interior of the building and the fence 

 surrounding the enclosure with a solution of corrosive sublimate, one 

 part to one thousand parts of water — corrosive sublimate one ounce. 



