REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 215 



ing began much earlier this fall than usual. Stock has gone into quarters the present 

 winter in good health but in thin flesh. Feed scarce, but sufficient to get stock 

 through the winter with careful management. 



ST. CLAIR. Hog cholera first made its appearance in this county in the month 

 of October, 1857. It appeared in a malignant form, carrying off whole herds. It 

 has appeared in different parts of the county every year since, though the ravages 

 some years have been entirely local and confined to the herds of a few farmers. To 

 estimate the loss for one year, or for any period since the hog cholera first appeared 

 in this county, would simply be guess-work. We have no statistical information to 

 report from. No remedy for the disease has been discovered or introduced here. 

 The intelligent hog producer depends on good sanitary conditions, green fields, pure 

 water, small herds, and isolation from affected animals as prevention. Have no 

 intelligence as to how hog cholera was first introduced. Only one farmer is reported 

 as having cholera among his hogs in 1887. Hogs were healthy previous to 1857. 



TAZEWELL. TheVe has been no contagious disease among horses, cattle, or sheep 

 the past year The condition of these animals is not as good as common, owing to 

 the past dry season, but more pains has been taken to provide feed and shelter, so I 

 think they will come out as well as usual in the spring. As near as I can learn hog 

 cholera made its first appearance here in 1859 or 1860. Hogs previous to that time 

 were in good health. Now, if a lot of hogs get sick from whatever cause it is called 

 cholera, and it is the excuse for the owner who don't provide proper food and shel- 

 ter. Farmers now, if the cholera gets among their hogs, save what survive and sell 

 them, and then abandon keeping them to any extent for several years, until they 

 feel sure the land has been cleared of the disease. I do not think any medicine will 

 save them. That has been my experience. Most of the hogs that die of cholera are 

 small, so the aggregate value is not very high. The best preventive for cholera 

 is to keep your hogs in fields that are away from the highway, and not buy any 

 (except occasionally a male), and not take any to the fairs. 



SCHUYLER. The disease commonly termed hog cholera, or the first infectious 

 hog disease, made its appearance in this county in 1859. Something like 25 per cent, 

 of the entire hog crop of the county died that year of the disease, the symptoms of 

 which were altogether different from what is commonly called hog cholera now. 

 Up to the time when the scourge first made its appearance in this county hogs were 

 comparatively free from disease Opinions differ as to how the disease was first in- 

 troduced into this county. Some think it was imported, while others say it was 

 spontaneous and epidemic in its ravages. The first symptoms at that time were 

 loss of appetite, puking, purging, and what we called thumps, the evacuations con- 

 taining millions of worms from one-half to 3 inches in length. Once affected the 

 hog almost invariably died, then as now. None of the so-called remedies have ever 

 amounted to a pinch of snuff, agreeably to my observation and experience. 



SHELBY. This disease of hog cholera first made its appearance in this county in 

 1874, and in localities where the most hogs were raised. Prior to that time our hogs 

 were healthy, and such a thing as cholera was never dreamed of. Individuals, leg- 

 islatures, and communities have investigated the disease and have arrived at the 

 conclusion that unwholesome conditions in food, drink, and surroundings, with an 

 epizootic influence added, is the cause. The most exciting cause is in keeping too 

 many hogs in close or narrow quarters and compelling them to eat their food in 

 mud and filth. Another is permitting them to run to old straw-stacks, where they 

 get overheated and then get chilled while coming to feed. The best preventive 

 is cleanliness in their surroundings. Corn fodder is better for litter than straw, for 

 it does not heat so much. Plenty of pure water is a prerequisite to health. Last 

 winter and spring the ravages of the disease were fearful, fully 60 per cent, of the 

 hogs dying of it. 



STARK. The disease of hog cholera, or something called by that name, has pre- 

 vailed to an unprecedented extent in our county this year. The generally accepted 

 cause is the poor quality and insufficient quantity of water. It seems to be a dis- 

 ease similar in many respects to low types of fever in man, and hence is produced 

 from similar causes. Hogs in large droves seem to be the ones that suffer the most. 

 Many have lost all of their hogs. The disease seems to be abating now, but whether 

 on account of the better water and colder weather, or because there are fewer hogs 

 to work on, is difficult to say. 



VERMILLION. My recollection is that hog cholera made its appearance about 1860. 

 Previous to that time hogs were very healthy. The disease, I think, first made its 

 appearance at distilleries in this and the adjoining State of Indiana, and from these 

 spread out into the country. Owing to the extreme drought and want of grass live- 

 stock is thin in flesh. Many cattle went into winter as poor as cattle that roughed 

 through out of doors usually are in the spring. There is enough rough feed to 

 winter stock, but a great deal of it must go on to grass in the spring very poor, and 

 some loss is probable. The loss of hogs by cholera the past year has been very small. 



