VOL. XIX.
=*;
_as_
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., SATURDAY, MAY 31,1884
NO. 22.
v
SH15E PL1GIMR CHOLERA.^
Jimptoms of the   Disease-Management  and Preventives.
., I. n. ParlrUgre.. A.  ML, j__  ».,  »«,_.__,
Bend, Ind.
Tie epidemic or contagious diseases of
isimils demand, and are now receiving,
each attention from sanitarians andpo-
"•i-al economists. Whatever pertains to
t_. itipply of animal food and the whole-
_.<_!« condition of the same, Is a proper
liljectof sanitation. The most serious
fj'iileraie- with which we have to deal are
fleuropneumoniaamong cattle and chol-
tmmong swine; the former of which has
Wiimed such frightful proportions and
.Vnional importance that Congress but
Urfly passed a bill creating a bureau and a
find for Investigating and suppressing the
»L_t>.
Swine plague, or hog cholera, undoubt-
*!Ir appeared in this country as early as
;*51. It was not then regarded as a con-
turlou- disease,and received no general at-
iMtlon or public notice until 15 years la-
Irr.or about 1875. At this time its wide-
ifrrad proportions and fatally destructive
ttiracter began to cause great consternation throughout the pork-packing regions
ol the northwest, as it was estimated that
!h« loss to the producers from this disease
isounted to the enormous sum of ?15,000,-
m)»nnually. In this emergency Congress
^proprlated SIO.OOO, to be placed in the
tola of the Commissioner of Agriculture,
fer the purpose of investigating diseases of
1 mestioated animals. The Commissioner
Jading that the loss of swine was greater
in D.mbersand value than thatof all other
ui-iil. combined, wisely determined to
npend the greater part of this appropria-
ioa (or investigations In this direction.
Re therefore appointed an examiner in
rvhof the seven States where this disease
n. most prevalent. Their 'examinations
ul reports have done great credit to the
ulhors, and rendered most valuable serv-
ot to the country. I am indebted to these
■spirts for many statements herewith pre-
wted. In comparing the observations
tide in these several and widely separated
seilities we are enabled to establish the
Vt that swine plague, like measles or
rall.poj, is a disease s«> generis having
4. same characteristic symptoms and
xhological appearances m all localities
_!i_t allseasSns. As cholera or yellow
.™ prevails most in densely populated
to-iets, or in cities, so. this disease has
rwiiled almost exclusively In the corn
e. pork producing regions of the north-
«9t,_ndnot on account of any climatic
.inhere™ local causes, but because of
ii.n,lanoe of material on which it may be
Wind developed. This disease may pre-
.1." iny season of the year, and wnile It
-more contagious and fatal in summer, it
.trnome^sexterminatedorstppressed
.Tthe frosts of winter. A multitude of
r-iw, cm examinations have revealed
'^W, essentially the same m.rbid
trxmea or pathological conditions. The
it^diseafes is not restricted to any or
pa it set of organs, but may be foundin
*lu_£ In tbeplura, In the heart, m the
-^or^pleen, in the ly«nPh«,01Xte«i.i
Wl mucous membranes, ^peciaUy the
-•wines. In all cases the lungs and lym-
;«-.« Suds are affected, as is generally
;^4 with the intestines. The increased
venture of the body Is the most con-
sciand unvarying symptom, of the dis-
-*. the thermometer indicating IW
*,ind in -one instance 111. tn the
V^ipLte regions in which examm-
*£fwe^nadeT the following external
^n-Twereoteervedandconcurrently
reported: "Dullness of eyes, lids partly
closed with an accumulation of secretion
in the corners of the same. There Is hanging of the head, with lopped ears, and an
inclination to hide in the litter and to lie
on the belly and keep quiet. As the disease advances, the animal manifests more
or less thirst, some cough, and a pink
blush or rose-colored spots, and papular
eruption appears on the skin, particularly
along the belly, inside of the thighs and
forelegs, and about the ears. There is accelerated respiration and circulation, increased action of the flanks in breathing,
tucked-up abdomen, arched back, swelling
of the vulva in the female as in heat; occasionally, also, of the sheath of the male;
loss of appetite, and tenderness of the abdomen, sometimes persistent diarrhea, but
generally obstinate constipation. In some
cases large abraded spots are observed at
the projecting points of the body, caused
by separation and loss of the epidermis.
In such cases a slight blow or friction on
the skin is sufficient to produce abrasions.
Some animals emit a very offensive odor
even before death. In large herds, where
the disease prevails extensively, this offensive effluvia can be detected for a great
distance to windward. In nearly all cases
there is weakness or partial paralysis of
the posterior extremities, and occasionally
this paralysis is so complete in the first
stages of the disase as to prevent walking
or standing."
As symptoms of special diagnostic value,
which are scarcely ever absant in any case,
the following are mentioned: "Drooping
of the ears and of the head; more or less
coughing; dull look of the eyes; staring
appearance of the coat of hair; partial or
total want of appetite for food; vitiated
appetite for excrements; rapid emaciation; great debility; weak and undecided,
and frequently staggering gait; great indifference to surroundings; tendency to
lie down in a dark corner, and to hide the
nose and even the whole head in the bedding; the specific offensive smell, and the
color of the excrements. This last symptom is always present, at least in an advanced stage of the disease, no matter
whether constipation or diarrhea is existing. Among other characteristic symptoms, which are not present in every animal, may be mentioned frequent sneezing; bleeding from the nose; swelling of
the eyelids; accumulation of mucus in the
inner canthi of the eyes; attempts to vomit, or real vomiting; accelerated and difficult breathing; thumping or spasmodic
contraction of the abdominal muscles
(flanks), and a peculiar, faint, and hoarse
voice in the last stages of the disease."
The duration of the disease may be from
one or two days to as many weeks, according to the severity and location ofthe
attack as well as the age and constitution
of the patient. Where the attack is violent and located in some violent organ the
disease may terminate ina single day;
but, in vigorons subjects, with milder
attacks, not involving the heart, one or
two weeks intervene before death. Young
pigs most certainly and surely perish.
Convalescence is very slow in cases that
do not terminate fatally. Recovery is
seldom complete, and these enfeebled constitutions make in development but poor
returns for the food consumed. The attack
is always most fatal where large numbers
of animals are crowded into filthy inclos-
ures. The question as to the contagious
or non contagious character of the disease
is fully settled. Numerous carefully conducted experiments have fully demonstrated the fact that it is both contagious
and infectious, and that it is not confined
to swine alone, but other animals may-
contract it in a mild form and transmit it
to swine with unmitigated virulence.
Dr. Detmers, in his investigations, appears to have discovered a new order of
bacteria, which he named bacillus suis as
being peculiar to this disease of swine, or,
more properly, regards it as the swine
plague schizophytte; for, failing to inoculate healthy animals with virus from
which these germs had been removed, he
concludes that these schizophytoe are the
true seeds of swine plague. These germs,
being found In all fluids in the swine,
blood and mucous, in the excrements and
in all diseased tissues, are regarded as the
true infectious principle. The presence of
such immense numbers of these germs in
the excrements and other morbid products
of swine, leads to the conclusion that they
are undoubtedly the principal disseminators of the plague. The vitality of these
germs in substances undergoing decomposition is soon lost, but in a suitable substance or fluid, liko wator, containing a
slight mixture of organic matter, as in
brooks or ponds, their vitality is retained
for several weeks.
Those germs when dried in the open
air retain their vitality for many days.
Numerous experiments have been made
by inoculating healthy animals with morbid secretions which had been kept in a
dry state for five and six, and iu one instance for 2i> days; and in each case the
disease was promptly developed, A specimen of dried mucus membrane was preserved for 30 days in dry bran, when it
still manifested vitality by developing the
disease. Freezing does not impair their
vitality. This is proven by experiments
with virus which had been frozen for one
and two days, and from which the disease
was unfailingly developed by inoculation.
Two years ago last October an acquaintance of mine in Berrien county, Mich.,
lost his entire stock of hogs by swine
plague. Over two months later, in January, he purchased a fresh and healthy lot
of hogs and put them in the pens recently
vacated. In a few days the plague reappeared with such malignity that all of
these died also. As there was no oppor-
tuny for these hogs to have been previously exposed, it is evident that they were infected from virus which had Deen frozen
and preserved for over GO days. Indeed,
if freezing does not destroy these germs it
must follow that while frozen they are
effectuallyipreserved, since in this condition decomposition is arrested or prevented. On the other hand, warmth, moisture
and air are conditions which favor decomposition of organic substances, and are
most destructive to these germs.
The stage of colonization or development of these schizophytaj is considered
the period of incubation of tho disease,and
requires from five to fifteen days, generally about seven days.
The infectious principle from which
swine plague is developed, may be introduced into the system by food or drink
taken into the stomach.or it may be taken
into the circulation directly from external
wounds, cuts or abrasions. It is believed
that the germs of this disease may be carried through the air for the distance of one
or two miles, but that they are harmless if
falling on the unabraded surface of the
body or on perfectly healthy lung tissues.
All external sores or abrasions constitute
a port of entry for the disease, by which it
more readily invades the organism than
by the stomach. As a preventive measure,
therefore, all cuts, sores or abrasions that
may be observed should be kept closed by
tar or some other substance impervious to
air and water. It" is probable that the
abominable nose-ring, by keeping an
abraded surface in a locality that is constantly exposed to any existing contagious influence is a most dangerous cause of
disease.
In warm weather, stagnant pools of
water breed disease germs and are a fruitful source of danger. The fleshof animals
who die of this disease is highly infectious
previous to the state of decomposition.
Rats and mice contract this disease, and if
eaten by hogs transmit the same. Old
straw sacks or other porous substances
may absorb and retain the disease germs
as a source of danger for weeks and
months. The dried excretions of diseased
animals in ships and freight cars retain
these dangerous germs indefinitely.
Cleanliness and care,as to food and drink
and all surroundings must be observed.
Some authorities recommend, as a preventive measure, the feeding of sulphur,
salt or ashes, or that these substances be
placed in the reach of swine.
This plague seems to produce in those
animals which recover from it, comparative immunity against subsequent attacks,
and in those exceptional cases where the
disease has appeared a second or  third
time, each subsequent attack has exhibited
much less severity. These facts led to the
presumption that innoculation, with modified virus, would render valuable service,
at least, in reducing the severity of the attack. Experiments in this direction have
proven at least partially successful. Great
difficulty is experienced in procuring a
virus of sufficient virulence to give general
success in developing the characteristics of
the disease, without in some instances developing the fatal malady. Innoculation
as a preventive measure is, in its present
state of development, impracticable. It is
further believed that such effort at prevention, instead of finally suppressing the
disease, would tend, rather, to foster and
perpetuate tlie same.
As a preventive, the use of carbolic acid
seems the most practical, scientific and
successful means yet proposed. Its manner of administration and use comes within the reach and comprehension of the
masses. Its success is indisputable. AU
animals treated with thia remedy for two
or three weeks derived perfect immunity
from the plague by inoculation or infec- "
tion. It is not claimed that it is a curative
remedy when the disease has developed
organic changes in the organism, but it
must preoccupy the system and intercept
tho disease. The dose recommended is
ten drops to each one hundred pounds
weight of the animal, to be given three
times a day. A solution of this acid
should he freely sprinkled about the
premises.
But finally a system of vigorous pruning
is indispensable. Remove or destroy tho
sick, separate the healthy into small herds
and remove them to fresh pastures. Then
give them the carbolic acid treatment and
they will live.
*A paper read at the 18th annual hi>k-!oii of the Indiana Institute of Homeopathy, May, ISj.1.
"Will Mr. Fletcher Rise and Explain?
Editors Indiana Farmer:
More than one year since I wrote to
Hon. Calvin Fletcher, Fish Commissioner
for the State of Indiana, and after waiting
some six weeks or more and not receiving
any answer, I wrote again, and then, after
waiting one year and receiving no reply,
I wrote again, the third time, and still
have not heard from the Hon. Fish Commissioner. What we want to know is, is
there such a person as Calvin Fletcher residing at Spencer, Owen county, Indiana,
holding the office named, and if so why he
cannot be heard from in the interest of
fish culture. Other parties have written
from this neighborhood, with like result.
Not one word has appeared from the pen
of Mr. Fletcher in the Farmer in regard
to the construction of fish ponds, or the
raising of fish in any way. The raising of
fish is a growing industry, and likely to
become ono of profit as well as pleasure, in
this country, to those who have the natural facilities for raising them. Now it
seems that the office should be managed in
the interest of the fish business, and articles on the subject from the pen of Mr.
Fletcher, or some one else in the Farmer,
would be read with interest by its many
friends. We have a pool 15 rods in length
by 50 in width, running from two to five
in depth. Below and adjoining, with only
a partition wall of earth between them, we
have a pool perhaps 250 feet in circumference, with a depth of 18 inches to six feet.
Just below and adjoining we contemplate
building another containing one half acre,
with a depth of six feet. These pools are
all supplied from a fine cold spring of water, 30 feet from the door of  my dwelling.
Mechanicsburg, Henry Co. E. H.
We believe Mr. Fletcher, our State Fish
Commissioner, is still living. At least we
have seen no notice of his decease; but we
are unable to answer your second query.
We shall be glad to publish any articles
on the subject of fish ponds and fish culture Mr. F. may feel disposed to prepare
and send us. It is an important subject
and many of our best farmers are much,
interested in it and desire all the information attainable. It would seem to be eminently appropriate for our Fish Commissioner to enlighten them.