DISEASE AMONG SWINE AND OTHER DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 127 



In swine there lias been more or less mortality the past seascm, especially among pigs 

 from one to two mouths old. We liave known of nine or ten pigs of tliat age to die one 

 after the other, and all apparently of the same disease. Tlie lirst symptom noticeable 

 is a loss of the use of the hind parts. They commence to drag their hind legs after 

 them, refuse to eat, and usually die within a few hours. Sometimes when affected 

 with the disease they will give a squeal and drop dead without further ceremony. No 

 remedies, so far as we can learn, have been administered for the arrest of the disease. 

 Some call it a disease of the kidneys, but we are not prepared to state what it is. We 

 only know it cleans out a pen of hogs (it prevails also among grown hogs) in double- 

 quick time. 



]Mr. Joseph Love, Bacon, Coshocton County, Ohio, says : 



The principal disease here among poultry is called chicken-cholera. The first thing 

 we observe is a diarrhea. The head becomes pale and the fowl commences to droop 

 and is disinclined to move about. There seems to be fever and thirst, the fowl drink- 

 ing verj' often. When the internal parts are examined the liver is much swollen and 

 is dark-colored. W^hen a flock is attacked the greater part of them die. We have 

 found no specific for it yet. We think the exclusive use of corn as food has a tendency 

 to bring on the disease. In my own case I have found that rich brau mixed in dish- 

 water and occasionally in milk makes a healthy feed ; so does wheat-screenings. Pure 

 water is very essential. Fowls are not as particular as other animals as to what they 

 drink. They will drink drippings from manure heaps and other filthy places as 

 greedily as from pure sources. I think cleanliness in all respects would ward off the 

 disease. 



Mr. M. Stocking, VTahoo, Saunders County, Nebraska, says : 



Previous to 1876 the swine of this county were healthy. The annual loss from dis- 

 ease probably did not reach 1 per cent, of the whole number. In the fall of 1876 the 

 cholera broke out near Ashland, along Salt and Wahoo Creeks. During 1877 the dis- 

 ease has proven exceedingly virulent along all water-courses, and has baffled all reme- 

 dies. In the beautiful valley of Wahoo fully 95 per cent, of those attacked have 

 died. On uplands the disease has proven less virulent, many large herds having 

 wholly escaped thus far. 



The immense aggregate annual losses from disease which occur among our domestic 

 animals, and the danger of importing others from abroad, imperatively demands na- 

 tional legislation and the establishment of a school where veterinary science shall be 

 thoroughly taught. 



Mr. Isaac Hoofer, Lebanon, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, says : 



A few cases of what is generally termed cholera has occurred among hogs here, but 

 the cases have been so few that the subject is hardly deemed worthy of notice. 



Among horses the only disease deserving notice is " inflammation of the intestines," 

 which, if not promptly attended to, generally proves fatal in a tew hours. The symp- 

 toms are great restlessness, pawing the ground, letting themselves fall, and showing 

 by many ways that they suffer great pain. The cause is chilling of the blood by drink- 

 ing cold water when heated, or getting wet when heated, or sometimes it may be 

 brought on from unwholesome food or irregular feeding. The cure is one ounce tinc- 

 ture of asafetida, one and one-half ounce tincture of opium, and one-half ounce of 

 sulphuric ether, mixed with half a pint of water and given to the suffering animal. 



Having made considerable inquiry among horse-dealers and horse-farriers as to the 

 cause of diseases in horses, I feel satisfied in saying that over one-half of the diseases 

 to which these animals are subject are brought on by irregular feeding, and three- 

 fourths of the other half from unwholesome food and abuse. 



Mr. George A. Shibian, Shermansdale, Perry County, Pennsylvania, 

 says : 



There has been some cases of what is called -'black-leg" among yonng cattle in this 

 vicinity. I don't know anything about the disease, but have heard that there ia no 

 remedy for it — that cattle that are attacked by it must die. 



There have also been a few cases of cholera among hogs in this locality. There 

 seems to be no remedy for the disease — at least all I have tried to doctor have died. 

 Those that have free access to charcoal and mud-holes seem to escape the disease. 



Chicken-cholera is very common, whole flocks dying within a few weeks. We have 

 tried soft feed, in which alum was dissolved, and also put alum in the water which 

 they drank, with, I thiiik, beneficial results. 



