280 REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



TENNESSEE. 



ANDERSON. Hog cholera has probably existed in this county for thirty years, 

 Each year sees more or less hogs die by this disease. I think that hogs die more 

 from neglect than from cholera. I never lose any from this disease, and I endeavor 

 to keep my hogs healthy by using preventives and proper precaution. 



BEDFORD. So-called hog cholera has been here longer than I have. Almost 

 every man who has lost hogs by it has opinions and theories of his own, but none of 

 them are of any scientific value. As to the time or means of its introduction, I 

 can get no r eh" able information, but it is said that before its advent hogs here were 

 healthy. Among the cattle or sheep I can hear of no prevalent disease except 

 hollow belly, caused by the stinginess of their owners. I have heard of no disease 

 among horses or mules worse than distemper, and that has not been very bad, 

 rarely proving fatal. 



BENTON. Hog cholera made its first appearance in this county about the year 

 1858. Hogs were generally healthy up to that time. Since then the disease has 

 visited our county every four or five years. It killed more hogs in 1886 than it 

 ever did in any previous year. Hogs are very healthy this year. 



BLOUNT. Cholera prevailed among hogs in this county last year, and a great 

 many animals died. It made its appearance in the county many years ago, but it is 

 impossible to give the exact date. 



CARTER. Hog cholera is the greatest drawback that attends the raising of pork 

 in this county. It made its appearance thirty to thirty-five years ago. In earlier 

 day sit killed almost all the hogs at once; at present it is a slow disease. Farmers 

 have tried various remedies, all to no good. While some claim to have found a 

 remedy, when tried a second tune it failed to have any eff ect. We can not form 

 any conclusion as to how the disease made its advent into this county. 



CHESTER. Hog cholera first made its appearance here in the spring and summer 

 of 1859. Hogs were generally healthy before that time. How it was introduced I 

 can not say. It made its appearance about the time people commenced to improve 

 their stock of hogs by sending to Kentucky and other places for fine blooded stock. 

 Hogs were taken with vomiting; some would not live more than twenty-four hours, 

 while others would live two or three days. Hogs have been affected differently 

 since, but the disease is all called cholera. Some two or three years ago they had 

 some disease which killed nearly all that had it. They would be taken with a giddi- 

 ness, and their eyes would break out in running sores, and all their hair would come 

 off. We have not had any disease among hogs in the county this year that amounts 

 to much. 



CLAIBORNE. Hog cholera was unknown in this county until about the close of 

 the late civil war, when it made its appearance here; and it was then supposed by the 

 inhabitants that it was caused by the hogs eating carcasses of dead horses and mules in 

 the path of the army. It has never since been entirely out of the county, but some 

 years it is more destructive than others. This year there is very little of the disease, 

 but last year a majority of the hogs were lost from it. It is thought to be conta- 

 gious, but at times it breaks out in an aggravated form on farms far removed from 

 hogs suffering with it or that had any chance of contact with infected hogs. No 

 certain remedy has been discovered for it. No condition of the hog seems to be a 

 preventive. Almost every farmer in the county lost a greater or less number last 

 year, but this year very little complaint is heard. It is the general idea of farmers 

 that the mast has something to do with it; that is, the year following a heavy mast 

 the cholera is more prevalent than when there is a failure. Yet before it made its 

 appearance here we had more mast and no cholera. 



COCKE. Hogs in this county were remarkably free from cholera during 1887, and 

 sold for better prices than usual. I can not ascertain when cholera first made its 

 appearance here, but it has been very fatal, farmers often losing 100 to 150 head 

 each. I mean our best farmers. During the past year the weather was dry, and 

 not exceeding 250 head died of the disease. 



DAVIDSON. Prior to the appearance of hog cholera, years ago, hogs in this county 

 were generally healthy. 



DE KALB. Hog cholera was but little known in this county prior to about 

 1865-'66. There may have been a few cases here before that time, but it was not 

 known as a malignant or contagious disease. Its special characteristic is the poison- 

 ing and destruction of the blood in the animal. Especially is it destructive of the 

 blood corpuscles. It destroys the secretive py wer of both the kidneys and liver also. 

 Hogs were very healthy before its introduction; in fact, our hogs are scarcely ever 

 troubled with any other disease now. I ana unable to give the means of its intro- 

 duction. 



