346 
J. D. SPRAGUE. 
narian ; but to us who are located in the country districts this 
disease has been the source of much annoyance. It is very em¬ 
barrassing to be approached by a client relating his experience and 
describing minutely the symptoms of so common a disease, or, 
what is more common to have him say, u My hogs have cholera,” 
or, “ My cattle are dying in the stalks,” and asking you for advice 
in preventing further loss. I say it is very embarrassing indeed 
in such a case to try to content yourself or satisfy your client 
by telling him this disease is due to a living organism, a 
microbe, germ, etc., or that the cause is not definitely known, 
and the only relief to be obtained is for him to change his herd 
to another pasture, separate the healthy from the infected 
animals, disinfect the pens, etc., and as a last resort throw them 
on the market at whatever they will bring. 
You are beaten out of your visit, your counsel is given 
without compensation, for you consider it of little value, and 
the farmer returns to his scene of trouble, brooding over Ins 
misfortunes, and wondering what the veterinary profession is 
anyway, if they are so ignorant as to know nothing of such 
diseases, or if so indifferent as to give it no investigation, m 
many cases making up his mind that where he can best use the 
veterinarian is where he can get along without him. 
I have often heard it said that cholera only furnished the 
market for the surplus hogs and that a cure or prevention of the 
disease would be detrimental rather than beneficial to the hog 
raiser, on the theory that it would reduce the market price. 
But no doubt the price in this case would be regulated just as it 
is with all other products. We all know that the greatest draw¬ 
back to hog raising is the uncertainty of getting the animals to 
market, and anything that will relieve this uncertainty woul 
naturally be a great benefit. And as for the profession, how 
much better would it be if in such cases we could say, “ yes, we 
recognize the trouble and by the application of such and such 
treatment we may be able to prevent further spread of the dis 
ease and perhaps cure a certain per cent, of the infected animals 
and thereby reduce the loss to a minimum.” He not onl) P a ) s 
