226 REPORT OF THE BUEEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



powder (which I am not at liberty to publish) I have hopes, especially with young 

 pigs, so I am never without some of it handy. The first alarming advent of the dis- 

 ease was in the fall of 1882, when the practice began of shipping the carcasses by 

 rail to be rendered into grease, for which purpose 1 cent per pound was paid. A 

 few cases have come under my view this fall, mostly to be traced to exposure to a 

 sudden cold snap. 



JACKSON. The first indication of hog cholera was in 1865. No general complaint 

 until 1870. Since that time it has been gradually increasing, especially among 

 young hogs. It generally visits two or three farmers in one neighborhood, and in 

 the majority of cases it does not take all. A few hogs will get over it, but they re- 

 main poor, weak, and scurvy, and lose a portion of their hair. They are generally 

 taken with a cough, and eat but little, and live but a week or two. I believe it is 

 more a lung or liver disease than cholera, 



JASPER. There has been no disease of a contagious nature among the stock of 

 this county at any tune except hog cholera, so called, and during the past year this 

 disease has not prevailed to the same extent as in some former years. The disease 

 made its appearance about the year 1860~'61; do not know how it was introduced. 

 Various domestic and patent remedies have been used without any apparent good 

 results. I have found nothing so effective in ridding a herd of swine of the plague 

 as to remove all the well hogs to some new place where they could have plenty of ex- 

 ercise; in fact I regard a compulsory exercise of the greatest importance; run them 

 until they sweat, then keep them in a warm place. 



JEFFERSON. There have been no epidemic diseases among cattle, horses, or hogs 

 in this county this year. No losses have occurred beyond those usually resulting 

 from accident, old age, etc. 



JONES. The so-called hog cholera made its appearance in this county for the 

 first tune to any great extent in 1878. How it was introduced was a mystery 

 then and remains a mystery yet. It has never been as bad in this county as re- 

 ported in some other parts, of this and other States. Some years in some parts of 

 the county, and other years in other localities, it lias prevailed, but it has never 

 been prevalent all over the county the same season. The disease has been very fatal 

 in some localities this year, but it has not been wide-spread. We have no cure. All 

 animals attacked are pretty sure to die. 



JOHNSON. Hog cholera made its appearance here in 1859. Up to that tune hogs 

 were perfectly healthy. In most of the county hogs formerly ran at large and some 

 of the finest hogs I have ever seen were thus raised, weighing, in many cases, from 

 500 to 700 pounds. The prevalence of cholera has caused most farmers to keep their 

 hogs in small inclosures, generally without corn or feed during summer. A large 

 number of farmers were new beginners and short of means. Whether this change 

 of management had any effect in introducing cholera or not I am unable to say, 

 but certain it is it came with this change. Other farm animals have generally 

 been healthy. 



LUCAS. As near as can be determined the year 1872 was the year whidn marked 

 the greatest loss of hogs by cholera in this county. It was claimed that the disease 

 was imported by hogs brought here to feed. Since that time all diseases of hogs 

 have gone by the name of cholera. It is now ha this county, usually the season of 

 freedom from disease among hogs on account of a limited production of corn. Hogs 

 have had more range and less overfeeding. 



LYON. Northwestern Iowa, in which is this county, was first generally settled 

 in the year 1870 or thereabouts. From 1870 to near 1883 hogs were remarkably 

 healthy; then came rumors of disease and death, which continued for about three 

 years. Then the disease disappeared. The disease came apparently from the east 

 or southeast. The year 1887 has been a healthy one for hogs. So has it for all 

 classes of domestic animals. 



MADISON. It is difficult to get definite information in regard to the first appear- 

 ance of hog cholera in this county. It approached this State from the east, was 

 some two or three years getting west of Des Moines River, then about one year 

 reaching this county. Can not get any definite theory as to its introduction. It 

 has prevailed to some extent ever since, sometimes very generally for a year or two 

 and then almost disappears for some years, when it would again become very fatal. 

 Previous to its introduction hogs had been very healthy. Farm animals generally 

 have been very healthy the past year. 



MARSHALL. Hog cholera made its first appearance in this section in 1876, 1 think. 

 No one seemed to know how it came into this section, but it apparently started all 

 over this county at about the same time and many lost their entire stock of hogs; 

 others lost from one-half to two-thirds. No treatment seemed to do any good. In 

 some sections of the county many shoats are dying at present; other localities are 

 exempt, Previous to 1876 hogs were entirely healthy, Some kind of a tonic or 



