REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY, 283 



almost unknown with us. Hare occasionally heard of a case of pink-eye. Colic 

 and botts kill a limited number neglect more. Black leg is to some extent fatal 

 every spring, but the number lost from this disease is not large. Our cattle are re- 

 markably healthy. Snuffles, catarrh, or rot, as it is variously called, prevails to some 

 extent among the remnant of sheep left in the county. Dogs and low prices have 

 been more fatal than disease. The above losses are estimated to cover losses from 

 all kinds of sickness. Our county is free from disease in all stock except pigs. 



HAYWOOD. Hog cholera made its appearance about the year 1853, but not until 

 the improved breeds were introduced. Now everything that kills a hog is called 

 cholera. Cotton seed is the most fruitful source of disease among our hogs. A 

 heavy mast or acorn crop produces constipation, which, if not attended to in time, 

 will prove as fatal as cholera, and consequently is called by that name. All animals 

 the past year have been freer from disease than for many years. 



HICKMAN. Hog cholera was first introduced here in the year 1870. Hogs were 

 healihy prior to that time. It was introduced by speculators bringing hogs from a 

 distance to feed and fatten. We have the disease with us now nearly all the time. 



HOUSTON. Hog cholera is one of the most fatal diseases that has ever visited our 

 county. It made its appearance here in 1862, and has been very destructive ever 

 since. Sometimes it will attack a herd and not leave one to tell the tale. In other 

 instances it may kill a few while others partially recover, but never become thrifty 

 again, or make good pork. I do not think the disease is so fatal as at first. 

 "Whether it has lost any of its force in its long course of destruction, or whether it is 

 being better understood and remedies discovered and applied I can not say. Before 

 the appearance of cholera in our county hogs were very healthy. They ran at 

 large in droves and fed upon the mast of the woods and required but very little 

 attention. As to the mode of its introduction, I will say that I believe that it was 

 brought here with the improved breeds of hogs from the North and East. This is 

 only a conjecture of mine, but I believe it is reasonable. 



HUMPHREYS. Hog cholera has been general and fatal in this county this year. 

 About one-half of the crop has been lost by the disease. 



JOHNSON. As to the origin of hog cholera or its cause, it is very hard to determine. 

 It has occurred in this county at intervals for a number of years. It does not appear 

 every year; some years it is very fatal. Last year (1886) about 75 per cent, of the 

 hogs in the county died with this disease, while during the present year it has not 

 occurred unless in a very few isolated cases. During the year following a general 

 or good mast season of acorns, chestnuts, etc., cholera is apt to occur, and a great 

 many of the hogs die with it. Apparently it is spontaneous in some parts of the 

 county, and spreads as an epidemic until it .appears all over the county. Various 

 remedies have been tried, but none appear to be a sure cure or a preventive. I 

 think there is more to be gained by using preventives and putting the hogs in good 

 healthy condition previous to the time for the appearance of the disease than by 

 using remedies after its appearance. It appears to be more fatal in hogs in poor 

 condition than those in good condition. It appears to be more fatal in hogs that 

 are kept on dirt floors than those that are kept in floored pens. At least this is the 

 case in my county. 



LAWRENCE. The disease of hog cholera has only prevailed on the creeks, and 

 principally in localities where there are ponds of standing waters, left in the bot- 

 toms after the spring rains are over and the waters confined to their usual chan- 

 nels. No case of this disease is reported from the high and barren lands, in locali- 

 ties where the only water is freestone spring water. These localities have no ponds, 

 and the only water is from springs. There have been various remedies used by the 

 farmers on the creeks to arrest this disease, but all have failed. A change of local- 

 ity seems to have the best effect to arrest the malady. Farmers send their hogs to 

 the highlands, and such as have not been attacked before removal generally escape 

 the disease. If confined in is. Insures the hogs are turned out and sent to some 

 other locality. There are several farmers engaged in hog-raising who use prevent- 

 ives, but in some instances their hogs have not escaped when the disease was in the 

 neighborhood. The preventive used is tar, both in their food and water, also rubbed 

 on the animal freely. As to the causes producing the disease there are various 

 theories_ advanced. The disease among horses has been principally blind staggers, 

 all proving fatal. Among young horses ordinary distemper has prevailed of more 

 than- ordinary fatality, especially during the summer months. Several stock-rais- 

 ers lost heavily from this disease. A disease known among farmers as " dry mur- 

 rain," has been very fatal to cattle. No case reported yielded to the usual remedies, 

 but all proved fatal in from five to ten days from the time of the attack. Some 

 .diseases among sheep, but the principal loss has been from dogs. 



LAUDERDALE. Hog cholera first appeared in this county in the year 1857. Before 

 that time hogs were generally healthy. It prevailed generally over the county that 



