90 DISEASE AMONG SWINE AND OTHER DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 



neglected tbey are apt to sicken anil die. The preventives which I have found most 

 eftective are such as will keep the lice otl" them and expel the worms from the intes- 

 tines. According to my theory they are t he main cause of what is known as hog-cholera. 

 I have used tar m early spring, both internally and externally, as a preventive, with 

 unfailing success. Pine seems to he a natural medicine for hogs. In the mountains 

 they hunt for pine roots and eat them freely. Many men who reside in the mountains 

 have told mo that they never had a case of hog-cholera, and they attribute the escape 

 of their hogs to the fact of their eating pine roots. Poke-root is another natural med- 

 icine for hogs ; they root for and eat it freely. It should be boiled with their slop. 

 Sour slop is also a preventive. This should be mixed with charcoal. Fre<iuent salting 

 is indispensable. Copperas is also good as a vermifuge, and bluestone is likewise a fine 

 remedy as a preventive. 



An experienced farmer told me that last autumn, after he had lost sixty head of 

 hogs by cholera, he had a very sick one which refused food of any kind. He finally 

 gave it peach-tree leaves, which it ate ; he then gave them to the rest of his flock, and 

 did not have another sick hog. 



I think your inquiries will do a great deal of good by directing the attention of stock- 

 men to a subject of such vital interest to them. Heretofore, I am sure, those losing 

 hogs by cholera have been too careless in not dissecting them, hence the difficulty at 

 present in getting a correct diagnosis of the disease. Hereafter, should other cases 

 occur, they will be more careful to collect the desired information. I think it will 

 ultimately be found that hog-cholera is not one, but that ^ arious diseases are included 

 under this name. 



Mr. S. W. Cochran, Uuiou, Fulton County, Arkansas, says : 



The southern and western portions of this county have been exempt from diseases 

 among stock of all kinds, and stock generally is in tine condition ; but the northern and 

 northeastern portions of the county have suffered greatly from a singular and fatal 

 disease among hogs. (I live in the southern portion of the county.) Having heard of 

 the great fatality among this class of animals, and wishing to carry out the request 

 contained in your letter, I saw one of the sulierers in the infected district, and the one 

 I considered most competent to answer your inquiries, and handed him one of your 

 circulars. I sent another one to a prominent breeder in the infected district, and from 

 them I am persuaded you will soon receive full answers to your inquiries. 



The gentleman I conversed with told me that at least half the hogs in his neighbor- 

 hood had died. He said the hogs were differently affected, but death was certain in 

 every case. Being satisfied that those to whom I have intrusted your circulars will 

 write fully in regard to the disease, I leave that to them. But I cannot close without 

 assuring you that I appreciate the object you have in view and the plan you have 

 adopted, believing it may possibly be the means of saving millions of dollars to the 

 fcirmers of our beloved country. 



Mr. A. B. Gilbert, Boonville, Ovrsley County, Kentucky, says : 



There is no prevailing disease among any class of farm-animals in this county except 

 a disease called cholera, which is very destructive to swine. It destroys more hogs 

 than aU other diseases combined. No certain remedy is known. We use as a pre- 

 ventive, which is better than a cure, the following prescription, and keep the hogs 

 when sick entirely away from water, viz : One ounce each of brimstone (sulphur), 

 copperas, saltpeter, indigo, borax, and assafetida, well pulverized and mixed with meal 

 or mush; this quantity to be administered to fifty head of hogs. 



Chicken-cholera is also very destructive to all kinds of fowls. No remedy is known 

 for this disease. 



Some farmers in this county have lost over one hundred head of hogs. Almost all 

 the pigs have died. 



Mr. ^y. B. Kennedy, Cortland, Trumbull County, Ohio, says : 



I have lived as a farmer in this county for sixty-three years, and since the murrain 

 left it, forty years ago, we have had no disease among cattle until last fall, when (|uite 

 a number of calves, from six to eight months old, died of what we called "blackfoot." 

 It commenced by swelling in the forward legs and shoulders of the animals and affected 

 their breathing. They died within two or three days. 



Mr. J. B. EandAxl, McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio, says: 



In past years we have had a few cases of cholera among hogs, but have none at 

 present. We think the disease is induced by putting too many of them together, and 

 allowing them to run in the mud and drink impure water. Copperas and sulphur, fed 



