524 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



I wouldn't wait for sufticieut symptoms to develop so that I could 

 diagnose without fail; I would use the serum treatment if the 

 general appearances seem to indicate that the herd has hog 

 cholera. 



Q. Do you believe all this hog cholera serum ought to be manu- 

 factured by federal supervision ? 



Dr. Niles: All serum plants doing an interstate business are 

 at the present time under federal supervision. The state serum 

 plant has supervision over all serum used in the state of Iowa. 



Q. Is it possible that hog cholera virus could be carried from 

 one place to another by the wind? 



Dr. Niles: I would say that it is not possible, unless the dis- 

 tance is very short. It might be possible for a hog yard situated 

 a few yards from another to have it carried in that way. 



Q. When is it necessaiy to vaccinate? 



Dr. Niles: We don't say that it is necessary to vaccinate all 

 hogs in the country. Hog cholera ought to be eradicated and the 

 danger of infection lessened. We would say that a herd ought 

 to be vaccinated whenever it is in danger of cholera. We say 

 to a breeder that at weaning time is a convenient age for vaccina- 

 tion, but w^e do not consider that it is necessary to vaccinate the 

 herd as a rule, unless it is in danger. 



Q. Hog cholera in the state of Iowa is very prevalent at the 

 present time ; our farms are all infected with the germs. Do you 

 recommend that we all vaccinate our herds for the next few 

 years ? 



Dr. Niles: You couldn't do that; there would not be serum 

 enough. Your premises ought to be as thoroughly disinfected as 

 possible. At the present time, when hog cholera is so wide-spread 

 and your herd is in danger of being re-infected, you will get 

 better results from simultaneous treatment. You ought to know 

 that you have a potent serum and that the treatment is being 

 administered by a competent person. 



Q. How can you tell that it is good? 



Dr. Niles: If you have a veterinarian wlio is using the serum 

 with good results, you have reason to suppose that it wall do the 

 same with you. If he has bad luck, you would not want to use 

 it. 



