274 REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



far as I can ascertain. I dp not hear of the prevalence of any special disease among 

 any class of farm animals in this county. 



LUCAS. This county has had but very few cases of hog cholera, hardly enough 

 to deserve mention. A few years ago some cases were reported. 



MEIGS. Hogs in this county have been remarkably healthy for many years. It 

 is doubtful if a case of real hog cholera ever occurred in the county. All domestic 

 animals, sheep excepted, have been very healthy for several years. 



MERCER, Never knew of a case of hog cholera in this County until after the ad- 

 vent of imported and improved bre'eds, from 1850 to 1860. Almost every year since 

 its first appearance there has been more or less of its ravages in a certain locality one 

 year, and some other the next. Last year its ravages extended over a larger scope 

 of territory than perhaps in any previous year. The counties of Wells and Adams, 

 in Indiana, or at least a great portion of them, were almost depopulated of hogs. 

 From this locality the disease passed in an easterly direction through the north half 

 of this county, and the results were very fatal, many farmers losing then.' entire 

 herds. The southern portion of the county was comparatively free from disease. 

 As yet no reliable remedy has been discovered. As to the number affected by the 

 disease, or the number that have died, I have no data upon which to base a report, 

 and can do no better than to estimate from the best sources at hand. Horses and 

 cattle are comparatively healthy this year. The north half of the county is not 

 well adapted to sheep-raising. The farmers in the south half are giving consider- 

 able attention to the industry. As a general thing sheep are healthy. 



MIAMI. Hog cholera first became known in this county in 1849-'50." Some cranks 

 claimed that the disease was introduced by Norway rats. . Various remedies have 

 been used. There seems to be no certain specific. Sulphuric acid and charcoal did 

 well in many cases. About the year 1878, 400 head of hogs were brought to Troy from 

 Kentucky, by Hagner and Frazier. Hagner kept his at Troy, in peris at his distil- 

 lery, and nearly all of them died of cholera. Frazier drove his to hia farm and 

 turned them into a corn-field. The corn was just getting hard. He lost none. Other 

 classes of farm animals are generally healthy. 



MONTGOMERY. Hog cholera appears at irregular periods in different sections of 

 this county, and in some instances nearly entire herds are swept away by this dis- 

 ease, no certain remedy having as yet been found to save them. It is becoming well 

 understood, however, that strict sanitary measures arc of the utmost importance, 

 and where vigorously pursued very little complaint is heard. 



MORGAN. There never has been any hog cholera in this county, it being a very 

 healthy county for all kinds of stock. No animals of any kind die of contagious 

 epidemic diseases. The only disease from which horses suffer here is horse dis- 

 temper, which very rarely proves fatal. Cattle are not troubled with any disease, 

 and sheep only die of old age. 



MORROW. As for hog cholera we have none in our county to my knowledge. 

 We do not know that this disease has ever been within the limits of our county. 

 No class of farm animals in this county have been affected during the current year 

 with anything like a general or epidemic disease. 



MUSKINGUM. Hog cholera was first known in this county in 1833. Some few 

 died on the Muskingum River from May to December. Its appearance was again 

 made in 1842; also, in 1849-'50 to 1855. At no time was it so bad as on the Wabash 

 River, Indiana, in 1830 to 1833, 1840 to 1845; tip to 1870 it increased nearly 10 per 

 cent, per annum. 



NOBLE. No disease of any kind has recently prevailed among hogs in this county. 

 Horses have beeij affected to some extent with distemper, but otherwise farm ani- 

 mals have been healthy. 



PAULDING. I have lived in this county twenty years. In that time we have 

 been visited with hog cholera three times. First, in 1875, it came in its most malig- 

 nant form, killing hogs both large and small. If there was a hog recovered that 

 was attacked with the disease I do not remember it. Again, about 1880 it visited 

 us in a milder form. This time it only affected shoats and a few of those attacked 

 recovered. Again, 1885-'86, it visited us in a more malignant form, some farmers 

 losing every hog they had. How was it introduced? Like the boy's itdh, " it just 

 come." It made its appearance first along the streams, and appeared to travel up 

 stream. Thinking I had learned something of the contagious character of the dis- 

 ease I thought to place my hogs out of its reach. I put them in an inside field where 

 no other hogs could come in contact with them, and where there was no stream of 

 water. The field had been used for pasture of sheep and cattle. I fed the hogs a 

 little corn, gave them well- water to drink, and out of 24 head the cholera left me 4. 

 Hogs are generally healthy this year. 



PICKAWAY. The first that I have any knowledge of hog cholera being in our 

 county was, I think, in the year 1863. Almost every farmer that has had the scourge 



