SCIENCE. 



SCIENCE: 



A Weekly Record of Scientific 

 Progress. 



JOHN MICHELS, Editor. 



Published at 

 229 BROADWAY, NEW YORK. 



P. O. Box 3838. 



SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 1881. 



SWINE PLAGUE. 



The present discussion on the infectious disease ex- 

 isting among hogs in the United States, known as the 

 "Swine Plague" will, we trust, be productive of some 

 good in giving publicity to certain facts relating to 

 this subject, which should be known and understood 

 by all interested in the sale or consumption of pork. 



It appears that a report was sent from the British 

 Consulate at Philadelphia, to England, stating that 

 700,000 hogs had died of Swine Plague during the 

 year 1880, in one of the Western States. 



Those interested in the export trade have contested 

 this statement, and with the very laudable motive of 

 protecting an important American home interest, 

 have endeavored to show that the action of the Con- 

 sul was founded on erroneous information, and one 

 journal in New York even accuses the British officials 

 of " plotting a senseless scare." 



It appears to be now officially admitted that 300,000 

 hogs died of this disease in one State alone in 1880; 

 and, therefore, the real question now at issue, is not 

 whether the disease exists, but merely how many 

 hundred thousand hogs die in consequence of it annu- 

 ally in each State. 



Without going outside of United States official doc- 

 uments the real facts of the case may be stated as 

 follows : 



The Swine Plague came into notice about 25 years 

 ago, and on account of its excessive infectious nature, 

 it steadily increased annually until the year 1878, 

 when the Commissioner of Agriculture announced an 

 annual death-rate of hogs for the United States, 

 amounting to a money value of $20,000,000; as the 

 victims are said to be chiefly among the smaller and 

 leaner animals, probably $2 per head would be a fair 

 average of value ; in that case the number of deaths 

 among hogs by the Swine Plague, actually taken by 

 census, would be 10,000,000 for that year. 



As this disease is no sudden epidemic, but has been 

 progressing for a quarter of a century, it is not likely 

 that, in the two years and a half which have passed 

 since this report was made to the United States Gov- 

 ernment, the disease has much abated. The disease 

 is at this date officially admitted to be raging, and the 



mere question of its destructive effects, is only one 

 of degree. 



Under these circumstances it would appear unjust 

 to accuse foreign consuls of partial conduct in report- 

 ing these facts, and it is equally futile to attempt to 

 suppress them. 



The behavior of the New York Produce Exchange 

 in this matter reminds us of the action of the ostrich 

 when it buries its head in the sand at the approach 

 of danger. We have one word of advice to those who 

 would preserve the United States export trade in 

 pork, and that is to admit the existence of Swine 

 Plague, and the increasing contamination of pork by 

 trichinae. This done, it is not difficult to organize such 

 a system of inspection as will satisfy foreign govern- 

 ments that the shipments of pork from this country 

 are such as can be received with safety. At the date 

 of our writing, a cable dispatch announces that 

 the Austrian Government has interdicted the impor- 

 tation of American pork in any form, and unless our 

 suggestion is accepted without delay, other foreign 

 States will probably follow the example of Austria on 

 this question. 



Major J. W. Powell succeeds Clarence King as 

 Director of the United States Geological Survey. 

 This appointment appears to have given general sat- 

 isfaction, and we consider it a fortunate circumstance 

 that a gentleman of such high professional attain- 

 ments has accepted this important position. 



ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES OF 

 PHILADELPHIA. 



A course of practical instruction in Invertebrate Paleon- 

 tology, to be given under the auspices of the Academy of 

 Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, was inaugurated by 

 Professor Angelo Heilprin, on Tuesday, March 8th, 1881, 

 at 8 P. M., in the Hall of the Academy. 



The lectures, twenty-five in number, will be continued 

 on the successive Fridays and Tuesdays of each week, 

 from 4 to 5 o'clock, P. M. 



The plan of instruction will embrace the examination 

 of the life-histories of the various geological formations, 

 the discussion of the biological relations of past organic 

 forms, and the practical determination of these forms for 

 the purposes of paleontological inquiry. The demon- 

 strations will be of an essentially practical nature, and 

 will be based upon a careful study of the resources of 

 the Academy's collections. 



A course of practical instruction in Mineralogy was 

 also inaugurated by Professor Henry Carvill Lewis, at the 

 Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, on Tues- 

 day, March 15th, at 8 P. M. The lectures will be con- 

 tinued on successive Mondays and Thursdays at 4 P. M., 

 beginning March 21st. 



The course will consist of ten lectures, and will be in 

 great part practical, and confined to Determinative Min- 

 eralogy. Blowpipe analysis, and the application of simple 

 chemical tests to the determination of minerals, will be 

 especially dwelt upon. Students will be expected to de- 

 vote at least half the time to the performance of practical 

 work in this department. 



The course will also embrace a reference to Physical 

 and Crystallographic Mineralogy, and to Mineralogical 

 classification. 



Application for admission to the above courses may be 

 made to Henry McCook, Chairman of the Committee on 

 Instruction and Lectures, 



