242 REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



sick ones, and they thus all had to take their chance. One noticeable thing is that 

 the buzzards would not touch the carcasses of the cholera hogs, while they would 

 eat the entrails of a hog killed that was healthy. It is not known where the disease 

 came from. It appeared simultaneously all over the parish. 



NATCHITOCHES. The first case of hog cholera I ever saw was in 1867, when nearly 

 every hog in this parish died. In twenty days from its first appearance about 

 60,000 hogs died. It raged for five years so we could not raise hogs at all. About 1872 

 it disappeared for two years. Most people had a very good start of porkers when it 

 re-appeared and destroyed 90 per cent, of the whole number, and has regularly re- 

 turned every second or third year since, although some seasons it works in certain 

 localities, while some other places are nearly exempt from it. Up to the above date 

 I had not known over a dozen hogs to die from any disease. 



PLAQUEMINES. There is no such disease as hog cholera known in this parish. 

 Hogs are raised only in a limited way, and for domestic use only. None are ex- 

 ported to either near or distant markets. Other animals, such as cattle, horses, and 

 mules, are sometimes subject to cJiarbon during the late spring and early summer 

 months, but hi the majority of cases the disease yields to f amiliar domestic remedies. 

 As a general rule stock in this parish are very healthy, and I have never known a 

 case of hog cholera or other contagious disease except charbon to exist here. 



POINTS COUPEE. Hog cholera prevails to a slight degree, and has so appeared for 

 many years. It is not confined to any section. No one has traced out its origin, nor 

 has a preventive been discovered. It does not spread far and wide, but confines 

 itself to localities. 



, RICHLAND. This being a cotton region, there is but little attention given to the 

 raising of hogs except in the wild woods, there being but few pastures suitable for 

 grazing. Such stock, therefore, it is difficult to care for. As to cholera, it is ob- 

 servable that those best fed and most cared for are usually among those most sub- 

 ject to the disease. The disease is most prevalent in the summer when the earth is 

 dryfand hard to root. Salt and ashes are the remedies usually given. The only food 

 given is corn, and that in this cotton country is so scarce that hogs suffer more for 

 the want of it than from the disease. If we can raise them in the woods until they 

 are twelve months old, and then feed just enough to keep them gentle, they are not 

 so subject to cholera or other diseases, until we take them up and change their feed. 



ST. TAMMANY. Hog cholera appeared in this parish about 1870, eighteen years 

 ago. How it came and where from is not known. Previous to 1870 hogs were very 

 healthy ; in fact, such a thing as a hog dying of disease was not known. Hog cholera 

 is now raging in the parish. One man has lost 40 head in a single week. Some few 

 cases have been treated with heavy doses of calomel and a few of them saved. 



TANGIPAHOA. The oldest citizens remember hogs dying as they do now seventy 

 years ago. Nothing is known as to the introduction of the disease. No contagious 

 disease prevails among horses, cattle, or sheep. 



TENSAS. Owing to the scarcity of hogs in this parish, hog cholera is at this time 

 unknown. Charbon is a very fatal disease among mules and horses, and sometimes 

 attacks cattle. During the past year over 100 head of horses and mules died of the 

 disease. The loss from buffalo gnats will amount to 300 animals. 



TEERE BONNE. No hog cholera has prevailed in this parish the present year. 

 A number of horses have been affected, and a few have died of distemper. 



VERMILLION. It is difficult to get reliable data in regard to this disease. I have 

 seen hogs die in Mississippi with an epidemic fever and no purging. It was called 

 .cholera, but was more like typhoid or enteric fever. Hogs no <foubt have died here 

 with the same disease, and also with genuine cholera. A neighbor sent his sows to 

 a boar where there had recently been cholera, and shortly after lost all with the 

 same disease. In Coahoma County. Miss. , in 1861, 1 was warned to kill my hogs for 

 fear of cholera, which was within half a mile on two sides of me'. ' I gave clean 

 water, fed on corn, and kept salt and ashes, in equal parts, in the pens, and lost none. 

 I lost many with the above-named fever during Sherman's raid, while living in 

 Kemper County, Miss. All were so much demoralized they could not attend to 

 them. Ashes and salt ad libitum, turnips, potatoes, pumpkins, oats, and less corn, 

 with slops and grease, would tell favorably upon the disease. Many animals die of 

 disease, some years brought on, I believe, from bad treatment. The west half is 

 sparsely settled and boasts of free hog range, but they generally raise miserable 

 scrubs. This great range for cattle was almost all taken up recently by land " grab- 

 bers " at the nominal sum of 12 cents per acre. 



VERNON. A large number of hogs died last year with a disease supposed to be 

 cholera. It is not known how it was introduced. A few isolated deaths have oc- 

 curred this winter, but no epidemic has occurred, and no investigation as to cause. 

 I doubt there being one man in this parish who understands the pathology of chol- 

 era or could diagnose a case. Kidney worms are numerous in hogs this winter, and 

 persons are not wanting to attribute the deaths alluded to above to this cause. 



