TREATMENT OF CHOLERA 189 



Cholera is a disease which can, and some day will, be entirely- 

 prevented. Stock owners are becoming more and more educated 

 up to this point every day, and are commencing to recognize the 

 fact that all that is required is a little care, and the enormous losses 

 that occur every year can in large measure be prevented. 



As is the case with human Hberty, however, the price of free- 

 dom from hog-cholera is eternal vigilance. The owner must ever 

 be on the outlook for possible sources of infection of his herd, and 

 guard against them before the damage has been done. There is 

 no reasonable question of doubt but what over 50 per cent, of the 

 annual losses from cholera can be prevented by careful attention 

 to a few simple measures, which have as their object the prevention 

 of entrance of infection into the herds. 



When we make a careful study of the many conditions which act 

 as predisposing causes for development of cholera, we cannot help 

 but be impressed with the fact that many of these accessory causes 

 are due to pure neglect on the part of the owner, and if he will but 

 become famihar with these conditions which result in his herd 

 developing cholera he will be able to very easily make plans for 

 preventing the invader gaining a foothold on his premises. 



In the practice of human medicine truly wonderful things have 

 been accomplished along the line of prevention of disease. Many 

 of the diseases which were once widespread over the earth and 

 swept away entire cities and laid waste entire empires, are now 

 almost unknown. Yellow fever, the old time "yellow jack," 

 which was once so familiar in our Southern States, has long since 

 been driven from our shores. One of the most beautiful examples 

 of what can be accomplished in the line of prevention of disease that 

 the world has ever seen, and one that every true American citizen 

 may well be proud of, is the results of American occupation of the 

 Canal Zone in Panama. 



It has been the dream of centuries that a canal should be con- 

 structed across the isthmus and connect the two oceans. Other 

 nations have repeatedly tried to dig this ditch, but have been in turn 

 forced to give up the task, owing to the unhealthy conditions which 

 prevailed on the isthmus, and the enormous loss of Ufe among the 

 employees from yellow fever and other equally fatal diseases which 

 lurked in the swamps of the Canal Zone. 



