DISEASE AMONG SWINE AND OTHER DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 141 



Mr. M. Blevins, Maysville, Beuton Coimty, Arkausasi, says : 



In reply to your circular-letter of recent date, I would say that out of 110 head of 

 cattle I have lost 23 with a disease we call murrain, and out of 70 head of hogs I have 

 lost 20 with cholera, so called. I think the average loss among the farmers in this 

 county is about the same. We have no remedy for either disease. 



Mr. M. A. Knight, Middlebiirg, Clay County, Florida, says : 



For many years past a disense called staggers has prevailed among horses in this lo- 

 cality. It is a disease of the brain, and in my opinion is brought on by over- work, or 

 in permitting the animal to graze during the heat of the day. The symptoms are an 

 entire loss of appetite, costiveness, restlessness, a disposition to walk and seemingly 

 not caring where, and oftentimes describing a circle. As a remedy bleeding freely in 

 the hind parts is practiced with considerable success. I prefer to cut oif the end of the 

 tail, and if necessary cut oft" a second time if the first operation does not give a free 

 and continual flow of blood. Then bathe or rather pour cold water on the head until 

 the disease is arrested. This should be followed by a good dose of Epsom salts, say one- 

 fourth of a pound dissolved in water, and repeat if a free movement of the bowels 

 does not follow the first dose. 



In the early recollection of the writer, say twenty-five or thirty years ago, this dis- 

 ease was very fatal to horses, probably not more than one in twenty being saved by 

 treatment then in vogue. Since the foregoing remedy has been practiced from 50 to 

 7.^ ))er cent, of those attacked by the disease recover. The disease is prevalent only 

 during hot weather, and seems to principally alfect the brain. It is doubtless brought 

 on by exposure to the sun either while working or grazing. 



Mr. Walter Babnes, Larissa, Clierokee Couuty, Texas, says : 



Among hogs the principal diseases are known as cholera, quinsy, and kidney- worms. 

 With cholera the symptoms are a constant retching, with slight mucous discharge, and 

 staggering and apparent blindness. Death generally ensues within from three to 

 twelve hours. The disease is very fatal, and but few of those attacked recover. I 

 assisted a short time ago in opening a hog that had cholera last fall (1876), and during 

 this year (1877) which had occasional spells of loss of appetite, without any otherappar- 

 ent ailment. The body, entrails, pleuro, and vitals of the animal were all gi-own to- 

 gether, and had to be separated with the knife. The liver was twice its natural size. 



With the quinsy there is a difficulty in breathing and swallowing, which continues 

 until the animal dies. I know of no remedy for either cholera or quinsy. 



With kidney-worm the animal shows weakness in the hind legs, staggers, and unless 

 relieved gets down in the loins and drags its hind legs on the ground until it dies. As 

 a remedy give small doses of strichniue twice a day for three days, and pour a teaspoon- 

 f ul of spirits of turpentine on the loins twice a day. 



Among fowls the cholera has been prevalent in many localities. Those dying of this 

 ■disease are found to have an enlarged liver. Sometimes this organ is increased to two 

 or three times its natural size. I believe fowls need salt as much as farm-animals, 

 and mine get it. To my knowledge we have never lost one by disease, while all my 

 neighbors lose more or less. 



Dr. Andrew J. Willis, Saratoga Springs, New York, says : 



The only disease that has prevailed here among farm-animals during the past year 

 was intestinal fever in swine (cholera). All cases proved fatal. The average dura- 

 tion of the disease was two days. No treatment seems to have been given. I saw 

 none of the ca-ses, and the only information I have I received from eye-witnesses. The 

 symptoms and lesions described were those of hog-cholera. There were seventy cases 

 in all. From the information I have been able to glean I am of the opinion that the 

 disease was not of a contagious character; but I think unwholesome food contributed 

 largely to its diffusion, if not to its development. The }aogs were fed with food from 

 the large hotels in this place, wbicli nsu.illy contains a large per cent, of green vege- 

 tables, which, in warm weatijer, rapidly undergoes decomposition. I am informed 

 that tliG feeding-troughs were never cleaned out, though swarming with maggots, and 

 that the pens emitted a terrible stench. From this it will be seen that the swine were 

 not kc*i)t in the best of hygienic conditions. The outbreak cannot be traced to con- 

 tagious influences, nor can we say it appeared spontaneously, although we must con- 

 ■cede tliat some cases probably originated spontaneously. No doubt the unwholesome 

 food favored the development of the disease l)y loading the blood with deleterious 

 organic matter, and so brought about a susceptible condition of the system. 



