132 



DISEASES OF SWINE AND OTHER ANIMALS. 



germs may silso undoubtedly be carried a considerable distance by other 

 animals or birds, and it is for this reason that many farmers have con- 

 cluded that pasturinj;' hogs on wheat-helds produces the disease; but 

 hogs were pastured on wheat-lields as ■svell thirty years ago as now; why 

 did not the same result follow then"' 



I have concluded, therefore, after a careful study of these facts, that 

 this contagious disease does not originate ile novo in North Carolina; and 

 that if the coatagious germs now in the State can be destroyed and their 

 importation ^)revented, we shall be as free from it in the future as we 

 were before its tirst importation, about the year 1859. 



HYGIENIC AND MEDICAL TREATIMENT AS PREVENTIVES. 



It was one object of this investigation to determine if the best hygienic 

 conditions, clover pasture, large range, and variety of food have any 

 preservative influence against this contagion ; and while a large luim- 

 ber of cases where these conditions seemed i)erfect could not be collected, 

 the few that Avere observed i)rove that these alone are absolutely power- 

 less to keep off the disease. Thus, Mr. AVadsworth, of Charlotte, lost 117 

 anunals, nearly his whole stock, Avhich had the run of a clover pasture 

 and large wood lot, which had in addition slops from the city hotels, and 

 grain. In this case disinfectants Avere freely used. Mr, Davidson, of 

 Hopewell, lost 50 per cent, of his herd under similar conditions. A herd 

 kept at a slaughter-house, in Charlotte, Avhich had other food as well as 

 the refuse, was the first to take the disease, and suffered to the same ex- 

 tent as others. Indeed I met Avith hundreds of cases where animals had 

 large pastures and other food in addition daily, Avhere such popular pre- 

 A'entives as salt and ashes, sulphur, tar, oil of turpentine, charcoal, and 

 cojjperas Avere freely and regularly giA^en, Avhere the majority of the ani- 

 mals were neither too fat to be vigorous nor so poor as to be wanting in 

 this respect, and yet from 50 to 90 per cent, succumbed to this affection. 

 In one case where I had the tincture of chloride of iron given regularly 

 as a prcA^entiA'c, commencing before any of the animals shoAA'cd CA^en an 

 elevation of temperature, and Avhere they were in a large pasture at a 

 considerable distance from any others, the disease has api)eared; tAVO 

 ha\'e died and others Avill probably follow. 



Some experiments Avere made Avith bisulphite of soda, salycilic acid, 

 bichromate of i)otassa, and bromide of ammonia to determine if these 

 have any poAver to arrest the disease Avhen giA^en before any symptom but 

 increased temperature had appeared ; the results of these were as follows : 



