110 DISEASE AMONG SWINE AND OTHER DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 



first eymptoras of the disease are fever and constipated bowels. The principal remedy 

 used is castor-oil. The disease is a very serious drawback to the cattle-raisers of this 

 State, who are trying to improve their long-horned Spanish breed with short-horns. 

 If anything can ])e done to arrest it, great benefit will result to the people of this State. 

 One of ray neighbors lost four out of six fine Durham bulls, another lost three out of 

 five, and a few have lost all. 



No unusual disease exists among horses and hogs. Chicken-cholera prevails to some 

 extent at times. There are a great many cures recommended, but I think all of them 

 fail when the disease gets a good start. 



Mr. John "VV. Gill, Clay Coimty, Missouri, says : 



Hogs die here by the thousands of cholera and are doing so all over the country 

 No certain cure has been found. I have used a great many things, and if anything 

 has done any good at all it has been spirits of turpentine given in slops. Fowls die 

 quite rapidly of cholera. I have used wheat bran and epsom salts as a preventive 

 with good success. Dissolve the salts and wet the bran with it and feed. If they will 

 not eat, drench them with salts — a teaspoonful at a time once a day. Since adopting 

 this treatment I have lost but few fowls. 



Mr. H. G. Keknodle, Kirks\ille, Adair County, Missouil, says : 



A few cows have recently died here of a disease called " mad itch." No remedy 

 known or treatment given. 



Over four hundred head of hogs have died of cholera in this vicinity during the past 

 two years. Farmers have used every remedy known, but without success. 



Two years ago about all the chickens died. No remedy used or treatment given. 

 This statement relates only to my own immediate neighborhood of about two miles 

 square or less. 



IVIr. G. W. Raltdabaugh, Celina, Mercer County, Ohio, says : 



The only disease from which serious losses have been sustained is from cholera 

 among hogs and chickens. The disease has prevailed quite extensively among hogs 

 the past season, and on some farms is still prevalent. Two years since it prevailed in 

 a mild form, and about 20 per cent, of those attacked died. This season it was more 

 extensive and fatal, and the losses were about 50 per cent, of those affected. 



We thought we had a remedy for the disease, and in many instances it seemed to 

 check it at once ; but the past season it failed to bring the expected relief. The pre- 

 scription for fifty hogs is as follows : Two pounds black antimony, seven pounds cop- 

 peras, five pounds sulphur, and two pounds saltpeter. Two years ago my neighbor gave 

 this remedy to his hogs after he had lost twenty-five out of a herd of seventy-five, and 

 he lost no more. Notwithstanding the same remedy was given to about one hundred 

 hogs this season, about one-half of them died. Two years since my hogs were attacked 

 by the disease. I gave them no remedy, but removed them about three-fourths of a 

 mile from their old haunts into a woods- pasture, and they all recovered. This season 

 they were attacked in October, and out of fifty head about thirty died. 



The disease is always more fatal among pigs than among older hogs. The symptoms 

 are not always the same. In the first stages food is taken very reluctantly and does 

 not seem to be relished. Indisposition to move and general stupor follows ; a cough 

 sets in, which I think is caused by a nauseated stomach, and a great disposition is man- 

 ifested to lie on the belly. In a few hours after death in almost every instance the car- 

 cass becomes wonderfully swollen. All things considered, this is one of the most diffi- 

 cult diseases to understand that animals can be afllicted with. My hope is that your 

 investigations may result in the discovery of at least a preventive, if not a permanent 

 cure, for this terrible scourge. 



Mr. William B. Arnes, AVarrensburg, Johnson County, Missouri, 

 says : 



With the exception of hogs and fowls, our domestic animals are quite healthy. Fowls 

 are subject to a disease called cholera, of which I will speak hereafter. Within the 

 past two years and a half the farmers of this county have lost heavily by a disease 

 among swine erroneously called cholera. During the time indicated the disease has 

 assumed three different forms. The first, by which I lost most of my herd, constipa- 

 tion was developed. The evacuations were dark and dry. The animal had a feeble, 

 staggering walk, and appeared in great pain. Death ensued within from six to ten 

 hours. When the weather became cooler the symptoms changed. The bowels were 

 loose, there was slight bleeding at the nose, and the urine was strongly colored with 



