206 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



discharpcR wrrc wrous auJ clay-colorucl, fiometimcs darlc, also bloody jxnd murons, rospm- 

 biing tho8e of dysentery. Tho urine at lirst vras pcnorally small in qunutity and liif^li-eol- 

 orcd, but, as tli;- animal rocovTred, it bia-anio abundant and clear. This was ono of the 

 symptoms by which tho men who were attending tho hogs at tho distillciy ascertained that 

 they wcie rccovcrinfr. In a large numbor of cases tho respiratory organs appeared to bo 

 principally affected, and there was coughing, wheezing, and difficult resi)iratiou. In some 

 instances the animal lost tho power of squealing, and tho larynx was diseased. There was 

 frequently swelling of the tongue and bk'eding from the nose. In those cases, where the 

 lespiratory organ.? were tho principal seat of tho disease, there was generally no diarrlura or 

 dysentery. In many instances tho ear, or tlu; side of tho liead, were very much inflamed, the 

 ear swollen to twice its usual thickness. This inflauiujation would spread along the skin, some- 

 times OTer the eye, producing complete blindness. Sometimes one or more legs were in- 

 flamed and swollen, and tho inflammation also extended along tho body. Tho skin where it 

 was inflamed was lod and swollen. Some had largo sores on their flanks or sides from three 

 to six inches in diameter. In ono instance the foot became ulcerated and sloughed otT. and 

 the animal recovered. Some appeared delirious, as if there was inflammation of ihe brain. 

 Sudden changes of the weather, particularly from warm to cold, appeared to increase the 

 fatality of the disease." 



The didcase baa of late been very wide-spread, and in many localities has 

 been extremely destructive, so much so at times as to almost devastate some 

 large district-^ of hogs, the farmers turning their attention to other pursuits. 



The treatment of the disease has been varied, and of course with varying 

 results, without there being any settled course of practice pursued alike by 

 any considerable number of people. 



As a preventive, Dr. G. W. Wallace, in the "Prairie Farmer," of July, 1859, 

 advised giving from five to twenty grains of calomel to a hog, two or three 

 times a week, during the prevalence of the disease. lie had thus been exempt 

 from the cholera, while his neighbors lost a great number. His neighbors used 

 it, and the cholera disappeared. 



A writer in the Country Gentleman has found a strong drench of alimi-water 

 ciTective, dissolving all the water would bear, and giving to them about one 

 pint each of the solution, and also giving to the lot (about one hundred head) 

 one pound of powdered alum in swill, fed each day for two weeks. Out of a 

 lot of twenty-two affected head thus drenched, he lost five ; of the remainder, 

 fifteen permanently recovered. 



Dr. E. M. Snow, in the Agricultural Report for 1861, gives fome valuable 

 suggestions relating to the treatment of this animal. 



Prof. J. B. Turner, of Jacksouville, communicated the following cure, which 

 has proved effectual with him : 



"Take one peck of ashes, four pounds of salt, ono poimd of black antimony, seven pounds 

 of copperas, one pound of sulphur, a quarter or one-eighth pound of saltpetre, jiound tho ingre- 

 dients iiue and mix them well, and keep tlium constantly in a trough by itself, and cacli hog 

 will eat what he needs of the medicine from day to day. If predisposed to clio'.eia they ^vill 

 cat it much more freely than if wholly ■well ; and at such times the expense will be considcr- 

 fible. If through any cause a hog get down, pour down him, or induce him to drink in slops, 

 one gill of coal-oil per day." 



The wide-spread prevalence of the disease has attracted much attention from 

 the learned men of the land, without coming to any definite course of treat- 

 ment to be pursued. 



The best preventive is, most likely, to keep hogs from the filth they are so 

 often allowed to indulge in, giving them regular and wholesome food, and good 

 pasture in season, and moderate salting. 



There have, at various times, appeared individuals who claimed to have dis- 

 covered a specific cure for it, and holding it a secret while they petitioned 

 State legislatures and Congress for aid or compensation by large appropria- 

 "tions. 



The latest of these men is one in our own State, Mr. G. W. Kinney, of 

 Albion, Illinois, who has repeatedly presented the matter to our State Agricul- 

 tural SoL-itjty's executive board and our State legislature, in order to get an 



