124 DISEASES OF SWINE 



number of hogs escape from the cars and wander into pastures 

 located in the surrounding fields. Officials of the railroad company 

 are usually very prompt to arrive on the scene, and offer to make 

 settlement for any damage done to fences, pastures, or growing 

 crops. Don't be in too big a hurry to estimate the extent of your 

 damage in these cases. Wait a few weeks and see if your herd 

 develops cholera. It very frequently happens that these hogs 

 which escaped from the damaged cars are suffering from cholera 

 or come from infected cars, and carry cholera upon your premises, 

 with the result that your final damage, instead of being a few 

 dollars, runs up into the thousands. 



I very distinctly recall an incident of this kind that occurred in 

 the western part of Indiana a few years ago. A train wreck 

 took place along the route of one of the large trunk railways, and 

 several carloads of cattle were derailed. A number of the cattle 

 escaped, and made their way through or over fences into pastures 

 adjoining the railroad right-of-way. In this case also the railroad 

 adjuster was promptly upon the ground, and made what appeared 

 to be liberal settlements with all farmers where any damage had 

 been done, and received in return their signature to an affidavit 

 releasing the railroad company from all claim for damages. 



Now it so happened that these cattle originated in the section 

 of the United States where Texas fever is present, and they carried 

 on their hides large numbers of the ticks which produce this disease. 

 The result was that a few weeks later cattle on the farms surround- 

 ing the scene of accident began to die, and it was found, when 

 veterinary surgeons were called, that the disease from which they 

 suffered was none other than Texas fever. The final loss ran up 

 into thousands of dollars and resulted in a protracted legal battle 

 in the courts. Don't be in too big a hurry to settle these damage 

 claims. Wait a few weeks, and see just how extensive your dam- 

 age is before making any complete release of the railroad company. 



SUMMARY 



We have now found the following facts to be true as to the 

 causes of hog-cholera: 



(1) The disease has both a direct cause and a number of indi- 

 rect or predisposing causes. 



