Commissioner of Agriculture 141 



under the direct supervision of a competent person, and its use 

 except under the supervision of this Department or some one 

 recognized by this Department as competent is emphatically dis- 

 couraged. 



We have had under consideration the adoption of regulations 

 definitely prohibiting the use of hog cholera virus except under 

 permit from this office. We are likewise considering the adoption 

 of regulations prohibiting the use of cars, crates, etc., which have 

 been used in the transportation of hogs from any affected district 

 until after proper disinfection. This would involve restrictions 

 on the shipment of swine except in properly cleaned and disin- 

 fected crates or cars, and would involve the classification of all 

 stock yards as infected. The control of this means of disseminat- 

 ing hog cholera would, we believe, have a beneficial effect in limit- 

 ing its distribution to herds in this State. 



It might be desirable to state here that the administration of 

 anti-hog-cholera serum is a purely preventive treatment and that 

 there is little, if any, curative effect known to result from its use. 

 It is important, therefore, that this means of controlling the dis- 

 ease be used in advance of the outbreak ; if not used until the 

 infection appears the results are likely to be discouraging. 



ANTHRAX 



The disease known as anthrax affects all warm-blooded animals, 

 including man. The losses from it among domestic animals in 

 this State, while not important, are nevertheless sufficiently large 

 to warrant careful consideration. The disease is difficult to con- 

 trol and it is all the more serious since no satisfactory curative 

 treatment is yet known. Owing to the length of time that the 

 spore form of the germ will remain alive, anthrax is one of the 

 most difficult infections to eradicate entirely from an infected 

 farm. These spores are known to remain alive in the soil for 

 years, and their destruction by any ordinary disinfectant is im- 

 possible. 



As a means of prevention of this infection, vaccination is now 

 recognized as the most satisfactory and positive. By the proper 

 use of this treatment, fatalities can be reduced to a minimum. 

 However, it has little, if any, curative value and its administra- 

 tion in advance of an attack is therefore necessary. 



