122 DISEASE AMONG SWINE AND OTHER DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 



Dr. William Gutch, Blakesbuig, "Wapello Couuty, Iowa, says : 



I have special inquiry ■with reference to the disense among swine known here as hog- 

 cholera. The sympttinis are — the animal refuses to eat, vomiting and purging set in 

 occasionally, but not uniformly : there are muscular twitchings of various parts of the 

 body. Death often talies place within twenty-four hours. The causes of this disease 

 are very obscure, as it occurs under every variety of sanitary condition. But from its 

 extensive prevalence here, and from tlio manner in which it frequently si)reads, I have 

 uo doubt but that it is highly contagions. Nearly every kind of treatment (including 

 the use of many vaunted specifics) lias been tried by the farmers here, but the uniform 

 testimony is that they all fail to produce any benefit. 



For several years past a liighly fatal disease has prevailed in this section of country 

 among different members of the gallinaceous family, viz., turkeys, Guinea hens, and 

 domestic fowls. It is known here as chicken-cholera, and occurs esi)ecially where 

 great numbers of fowls are kept together, and is, I believe, caused by bad sanitary 

 conditions. The animal mopes around, has an uncertain gait, purges, and usually dies 

 in a very short time — sometimes in a few hours, but geneially not for several days. 

 The remedies are thorough cleanliness and ventilation, with lime, sand, and a mixture 

 of corn-meal and Venetian red. These, if they do not cure the disease, will usually 

 lireveut its further spread. 



Mr. J. W. Means, Carthage, Jasper County, Missouri, says : 



From my own experience I am prepared to say that hog-cholera is contracted by 

 feeding and watering them in nnclean places. My neighbor is now losing hogs every 

 day, while I am losing none. I have about two hundred head on an adjoining farm. 

 His hogs are fed in unclean i^laces and sleep about old straw stacks, and mine do not. 

 I feed plenty of salt, lime, and soda, and am satisfied hogs will not take the disease if 

 given these preventives in time. I feed hundreds of head, and have never lost any. 



I also feed a great many cattle, but have never lost any by disease. I use salt, ashes, 

 and madder twice a week. A great many people lose cattle by allowing their hogs to 

 run with them. When eating green corn the hogs chew the stalk until all the strength 

 is extracted. They then drop it ; it dries; the cattle eat it, and it clogs the stomach 

 and produces what is called the " mad itch." A great many cattle have died from this 

 disease this year. 



Black-oak bark boiled in water to a strong sirup, and kept where the fowls can have 

 access to it, will be found both a remedy and preventive for chicken-cholera. Sulphur 

 fed with corn-meal is also good. Lime and ashes will destroy tlie lice which infests 

 them. 



Mr. F. M. Gumming, Harrisouville, Cass Couuty, Missouri, says : 



This immediate vicinity has suffei'ed immensely from the ravages of the disease known 

 as hog-cholera. During'the early part, and indeed almost entire winter, it disappears 

 or scarcely makes an appearance, but during the months of March and September it 

 breaks forth in most fatal forms, frequently causing the death of every hog on a farm. 

 I have known as many as sixty and eighty to thus die in one week on a single farm, 

 leaving not one to commence restocking with. The disease assumes two forms. The 

 first, and what I presume to be cholera proper, commences with black discharges from 

 the bowels, which continue until the animal " wears it out," or becomes a gaunt skeleton 

 and dies from mere exhaustion. The second form commences with an utter refusal to 

 eat, stupid appearance of the animal, high fever, very constipated bowels, and a great 

 desire for cold water. This form generally proves fatal in three or four days. When 

 dead, blood gushes from the nostrils, and upon examination the lights resemble coagu- 

 lated blood of the consistency of cream. This disease causes greater losses to the 

 farmers of this corn-producing couutrythan all other diseases affecting farm-animals 

 combined. 



Mr. W. B. Harsha, Harsliasville, Adams Couuty, Oliio, says : 



A disease prevails among hogs in this section which is generally called cholera. Sct- 

 eral herds were attacked by it during the dry weather of last fall. But I think instead 

 of its being cholera it was pneumonia. The first noticeable symptom was coughing. 

 Then follows fever, no desire for solid food, and constipation of the bowels. About 

 all those first attacked died, but after we commenced doctoring we saved some. We 

 gave a physic of sulphur and saltpeter, followed by the use of Font's cattle-powders, 

 or fluid extract of aconite and belladonna, equal jiarts, and one teaspoonful at a dose. 

 Toward the last this cured nearly all the animals affected, and we believe the use of 

 the cattle-i)owders prevented the further spread of the disease. 



