DISEASE AMONG SWINE AND OTHER DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 117 



the nose is nearly always bloody. Sometimes the disease commences with a cough, 

 panting at the sides and Hanks, and a refnsal to eat. They then linger along for a 

 week or ten days, when they usnally die. With the experience I have had with it I 

 believe it to be more properly a typhoid fever. There are nnmerons remedies for sale, 

 held as secrets, yet I never see any good effects produced by them when used in a herd 

 of sick animals. They may bo valuable as preventives. For eight years past I have 

 endeavored to keep up my herd to one hundred and fifty head, feeding from seventy- 

 five to eighty each year. Except daring last fall I have had no disease among them. 

 I have dry, open sheds for them to sleep in, and feed them all the ashes we make, 

 mixed with a little salt. Occasionally we mis several tablespoonsful of sulphur, or 

 about half as much copperas, with the ashes, say ouce or twice a mouth. We give them 

 all the corn they will eat up clean. 



Many hogs are dying all through this section of the country. I think you have 

 iindertaken a difticult task in trying to convince the average Congressman of the 

 necessity and utility of appointing a commission to investigate the diseases prevalent 

 among farm-stock. ' But it is a subject that calls for immediate investigation. This 

 immediate vicinity has not, I thiuk, suffered larger losses iu comparison with the 

 number of hogs kept than other neighborhoods in general. Yet this school dis- 

 trict, comprising four full sections of land and two fractional sections bordering on 

 the Missouri River, has in the last three years lost certainly ten thousand dollars' 

 worth of hogs. Hence the aggregate losses in the State must reach high in the mill- 

 ions of dollars. 



Mi\ W. C. Hampton, Moimt Victory, Hardin County, Ohio, says : 



The disease among hogs does not seem to be so fatal in our county as in many other 

 places. From the result of investigations I should say the disease was intestinal fever, 

 or perhaps consumption. The first symptom of the complaint is a bad cough and a 

 refusal to take food, especially corn in the ear, which they will smell of and pass by. 

 Perhaps their jaws are too weak to crack the grain, for they will eat it when ground 

 into meal. They continue to lose flesh for a month or more, when they die. A few 

 have so far repovered as to permit fattening. Upon examination the livers and lungs 

 of these animals are found greatly deranged, both being covered with white spots. 

 Another peculiarity is that the intestines and stomach are very much reduced in size, 

 which I think would indicate the effects of a high state of- fever. No remedies have 

 proved of any benefit. We have tried sulphur, tar, and copperas. . Those saved were 

 fed freely on" corn-meal. This may have had a good effect in keeping up the strength 

 of the animal until the disease abated or was worn out. 



Chicken-cholera has been severe iu some sections of this county. In this locality it 

 -was more modified and slow, but finally sure in its operations. They would mope 

 around for weeks before death ensued. The disease must be much the same as that 

 -which atliict hogs, as the liver is found greatly enlarged and iu a decaying condi- 

 tion. 



Mr. Georqe ^y. Parker, Yandalia, Audrain Comity, ^Missouri, says : 



There are but few fatal diseases among cattle here. Sometimes they die of a disease 

 called black-leg. I know of no remedy, but salt given at regular intervals at all sea- 

 sons of the year will be found a good preventive. I have handled many cattle at a 

 time, and with very good success. Iu a herd on the grass beside mine twelve or four- 

 teen head -were lost while I lost none. I salted my herd regularly, while my neighbor 

 failed to take this precaution. I salt twice a week, and have [regular days for so 

 doing. 



The prevailing disease among hogs is called cholera, but I have my doubts about its 

 being that disease. They are attacked in a great many different ways. Some die sud- 

 denly and others linger for a long time. Breeding young hogs has a teudency to pro- 

 duce diseases. A general preventive will be found iu breeding from none but trld and 

 mature animals. 



Mr. H. M. Engle, Marietta, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, says : 



My own immediate vicinity has thus far been almost entirely exempt from epidemic 

 diseases among farm-stock, except epizootic among horses several years ago and chicken- 

 cholera now and then. The former made a clean sweep, i. e., few animals escaped the 

 disease. The cause or causes I have never had satisfactorily explained. Chicken- 

 cholera I had for the first time last summer, and I am confident it originated in neg- 

 lecting to keep their roosting places regularly cleaned. I have no faith in any of the 

 nostrums so generally recommended, but have in pure air, pure water, a change of 

 feed, and a clean feeding-place. The cause is a disordered condition of the bowels, 

 similar to that of cholera in the human ; and anything that will restore them to their 

 normal condition will effect a cure. By attending to sanitary requirements, and feed- 

 ing whole grain well dried, even to browning, effected a speedy cure in my fowls. 



