DISEASES OF SWINE AND OTHER ANIMALS. 133 



These experiments sliow that none of tliese ajients can be depended 

 nn to stop the changes going" on in the blood as a consequence of this 

 disease. Although both bisulphite of soda and salycilic acid in one ex- 

 periment each appeared to accomplish this, they failed in other cases 

 where given in larger doses for an equal length of time; and when we 

 consider that in no contagious fev6r has a remedy been discovered 

 capable of arresting the course of the malady, the doubt in regard to 

 the efficacy of these agents in this disease must increase. 



SANITARY EEaULATIONS. 



We are finally brought to the iiTesistible conclusion that sanitary 

 regulations properly framed and enforced are the only means at our 

 command for checking the ravages of this disease and relieving our 

 farmers from the enormous losses at j^resent occasioned by it. We can- 

 not expect, however, that this desirable object will be accomplished 

 without considerable expense, especially in the first years of the attempt. 

 We must expect outbreaks in all parts of the country where the disease 

 has previously existed, caused by contagious germs which have been 

 preserred in .some of the ways already mentioned ; but we should be 

 encouraged by the fact that in most parts of the country, at least, these 

 germs, unless especially preserved in straw, manure, remains of dead 

 animals, &c., are entirely destroyed during winter. Thus, in Swannanoa 

 township, where 00 per cent, of the hogs died in 1877, there has been 

 no outbreak up to October 30, 1878. Above all must we realize the 

 7iecessity of thoroughly destroying every particle of contagion wherever 

 it appears. Although this would undoubtedly be very exjiensive, it 

 would certainly be a great saving, even at the start, on the great losses 

 which we are now annually experiencing; and if the work is thoroughly 

 done we may expect that this expense will be reduced to a compara- 

 tively small item in the course of a few years. At the worst such ex- 

 pense woidd be much less than the use of a specific by individual farm- 

 ers, even if such a remedy were discovered. In regard to such regula- 

 tions I would suggest the following points as necessary according to 

 what is now known of the disease: 



1. The regulations should go into effect in winter or early spring 

 when fewest animals are affected, or when, as my experience indicates, 

 the disease is entirely extinct. 



2. People living in localities where the disease has i^revailed within 

 two years should keep their hogs in an inclosure free from accumula- 

 tions of manure, straw, litter of any kind, or remains of dead animals 

 in which the contagion might ])ossibly be preserved, and in which there 

 were no sick hogs the preceding year. 



.'?. That in such localities, -/. e., where the disease has existed within 

 two years, it should be made obligatory for persons owning hogs to re- 

 l)ort each and every death occurring in their herds i)romptly (within 

 forty-eight hours if but one, or twenty-four hours if more than one, or 

 if others hve sick), to a designated person to be located in every town- 

 ship or county, unless such deaths were plainly caused by mechanical 

 injuries, drowning, maternity, &c. And that there should be districts 

 established of convenient size, in each of which a competent veterina- 

 rian (or ])hysician in case tlie A'eterinarian could not be obtained), 

 should be a])pointed, to whom the above township (u- county officer 

 should repoit whenever two or more such deaths have occurred in the 

 same herd within a fortnight; whenever an unusual number of deaths 

 have occurred in any locality, or whenever there is any reason to sus- 

 pect the presence of this disease. 



