Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

which is driven by a 9 horse-power steam-engine at the same time that I am threshing corn. The straw, when delivered from the threshing-machine, is carried up an inclined plane by spiked rollers to a height of about 9 feet; it then comes down an inclined rack, nearly yelmed and ready for cutting into chaff. Three men yelm the straw, mixing with it a small quantity of green fodder, such as rye or tares. When cut into chaff, it is sifted and carried into an empty barn or chaff-house and well trodden down, and about 1 bushel of salt mixed with a ton of chaff, so as to cause a fermentation. All this is effected with no more manual labor than would be required to take away the straw and stack it in the ordinary manner. Within the last few days I have threshed and dressed the corn, and at the same time cut the straw into chaff from the produce of about 80 acres of wheat, at a cost, too, not exceeding 45s., or 7d. per acre for cutting the straw produced on an acre of wheat. This chaff I shall not use until next October, when I purchase my beasts for winter grazing, and none but those who have tried this plan of old chaff so managed, as compared with fresh-cut chaff, can believe the advantage in value of the old chaff for feeding stock. I can work off the produce of about 8 acres of good strong wheat per day, thus cutting about 800 fans per day, the chaff being cut shorter and better than by the hand-box.

Three men yelm the straw and feed the chaff-cutter, and if the threshingmachine be placed near the barn or chaff-house which is to be filled, two men can carry the chaff into the barn; two or three boys should tread it down close, so as to cause it to heat. The only extra expense is for from 4 to 5 cwt. of coal per day. If, however, the straw is stacked as threshed and cut into chaff afterwards, the expenses of cutting and sifting with Maynard's chaff-cutter would be as follows:

1 man to move the straw from stack to men to yelm....

4 men to yelm straw....

2 men to carry away chaff....

3 lads to tread chaff down, 6d.....

Hire of engine and chaff-cutter (this includes 1 man to feed chaff-cutter

and engine-man)....

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]

Coals, 5 cwt.....

Water, carting.

1 10 0

0 4 6

0 2 0

£2 12 0

This will cut from 600 fans to 900 fans per day, according to the length of cut the first cut being about 3-16ths of an inch in length, the latter about 3-8ths. The cost would be, the very short cut, 1d. per fan; the latter cost 1-3rd of a penny per fan; but, by cutting the chaff at the same time you thresh, you save 473. per day, or, in fact, cut 800 fans for 4s. 6d.

P. H. Frere, Esq.

Yours faithfully,

SAMUEL JONAS.

Mr. Jonas reckons a fan of chaff to measure 5 bushels, and to weigh 28 lbs.-P. H. F.

ESSAY

ON THE EPIZOOTY, LATELY PREVALENT AMONG SWINE.

BY EDWIN M. SNOW, M.D., OF PROVIDENCE.

WITH THE RESULTS OF POST-MORTEM EXAMINATIONS,

BY G. L. COLLINS, M.D., OF PROVIDence.

Read, by request, before the Standing Committee of the "Rhode Island Society for the Encouragement of Domestic Industry," July 17, 1861.

Among the subjects intimately connected with the science of medicine, and interesting to every intelligent physician, there is none of greater importance than the relations which exist between epizoötic and epidemic diseases. That such relations do exist seems to be evident, and numerous facts could be produced to prove it; but the character of these relations and the measures necessary to prevent their effects, are not fully known.

But my purpose, on the present occasion, is not so much to discuss this question as to call your attention to a single epizcötic disease which has prevailed with great severity in some portions of this country, and to some extent, in nearly all portions of it, within the last six or eight years. I do this, confidently expecting that if an interest is excited in this disease, you will not only be led to watch its progress and observe its symptoms, but that you will also endeavor to ascertain the relations which are supposed to exist between it and certain epidemic diseases. The disease referred to, which, for want of a better name, has been improperly called "Hog Cholera," has prevailed in this vicinity, more particularly among large herds of swine, during each of the last five winters; but has usually terminated with the end of cold weather. During the winter just past, it has been more severe than in any preceding, and has prevailed, more or less, in most of the towns in this vicinity. The present season it has not, as heretofore, ceased with the cold weather; but has continued until the present time, and during the last five months has destroyed more than 300 hogs in the towns of North Providence, Cranston, and Johnston. During the last week in May, 20 grown hogs and from 30 to 40 pigs died with this disease, at the Field's Point farm, in Cranston, comprising nearly the whole herd at that place. I have also heard of its prevalence in various towns in Massachusetts, during the past winter. In the month of February my attention was called to the subject, and in company with several physicians of this city, visits were made to diseased hogs in Cranston and North Providence. Post-mortem examinations of hogs which had died with the disease,

were made by Drs. G. L. Collins, J. W. C. Ely, and others, a minute account of which will be given hereafter. Particular inquiries were made of the owners and others, in relation to the symptoms and progress of the disease, and I have also obtained some facts by correspondence with parties at the West, where the disease first commenced.

The results arrived at, I propose to give briefly.

Symptoms.-The symptoms, as described by non-professional persons, are as various as can be imagined. No two persons agree, and no two cases of the disease are described alike. It is probable that if the disease could be carefully watched by persons accustomed to such observations, a more correct and uniform series of symptoms would be found. By condensing and arranging, as far as possible, the confused and blind accounts given by the owners of the animals, and by combining the results of our own observations, the sensible symptoms are found to be somewhat as follows:

1. Refusal to eat.—This is the first symptom usually noticed by those who have the care of the animals, though as will be seen hereafter, it is by no means the first symptom of the disease. The refusal of food continues through the whole sickness; and food of every description, solid and liquid, is refused.

2. Great thirst-This is constant, and large quantities of cold water will be swallowed if it can be obtained. Even after the animal cannot stand alone, it will

drink cold water with avidity.

3. After a time, the length of which varies very much, the animal begins to show signs of weakness; reels, staggers, and, in attempting to walk, often falls down.

4. In most cases there is a diarrhoea, with copious fluid discharges of dark, bilious and very offensive matters. In a few cases, there is no diarrhoea, but evacuations of hard, black balls; but in these cases the fluid offensive matter is often found in the intestines after death.

5. In a few cases there is vomiting; but this is not often severe, nor is it continued for any length of time.

6. The external appearance of the animal is at first paler than usual; but towards the last of the sickness, purple spots appear, first on the nose and sides of the head. These extend along the sides and belly, and between the hind legs. When the purple appearance reaches this extent, the animal soon dies.

7. In many cases, perhaps a majority, ulcers are found on different parts of the body. These were particularly noticed on the inside of the lips and gums, and on the feet, and were often quite deep and excavated. In some cases, these ulcers were seen in the nostrils, and in one case there were extensive ulcerations on the tonsils.

8. In a few cases the legs are swelled, and the animal is lame; sometimes the ears and other parts of the body are swelled and red; sometimes the eyes are sore and inflamed; sometimes carbuncular swellings are found, and generally the lymphatic glands seem to be enlarged.

9. In most cases the pulse is quickened, the respiration is hurried and difficult,

and there is much cough. But in some genuine cases of the disease, there is no perceptible trouble with the lungs, and no important lesions are found in them after death.

10. The duration of the disease, in fatal cases, after the first symptoms are noticed, is extremely variable. Some we have seen which died within two or three hours; others live many days. All judgment, however, in relation to this point, is extremely uncertain. The first symptom observed is usually the refusal of food; but it is probable, indeed it is certain, that the disease is progressing for a considerable period before this symptom is noticed. Cases like the following are sometimes seen A hog refuses to eat, it soon grows weak, staggers in walking, turns purple on the sides and belly, and dies within two or three hours after the first symptom was noticed. But on examination after death, evidences of extensive disease are found at a stage of development which must have required many days

to reach.

Such are, briefly, the sensible symptoms of the disease, as obtained from the descriptions of those who have the care of the animals, and from our own observations. I will now read the description of the symptoms, as published by Dr. George Sutton, of Aurora, Indiana, in February, 1857. Dr. Sutton says:

"The first symptoms that can generally be discovered, the hog appears weak, his head droops, and frequently, in a few hours after these symptoms, diarrhoea commences, which has caused the disease to receive the name of Hog Cholera.' Frequently there is vomiting: sometimes from the bloody discharges, the disease resembles dysentery. In other cases, the lungs are principally affected, and there is difficult breathing and cough. Sometimes there is inflammation of the throat, and the tongue is also very much swollen and inflamed; sometimes there is bleeding from the nose, and the nose is swollen. In many, the disease appeared to be principally confined to the surface, and sometimes the ear and side of the head were swollen and inflamed; sometimes one or both legs were inflamed and swollen, and the inflammation extended along the sides or belly, of a deep red color, almost precisely similar to phlegmonous erysipelas. Some had large sores on their legs, resembling carbuncles; others had gangrenous sores on their sides or flanks, from 3 to 6 inches in diameter; some appeared delirious, and others blind. These symptoms were combined in almost every possible variety; death took place in from one to five days. Out of a pen containing 100 hogs fed on slops, 33 generally died, and it required about eight weeks for the remainder to recover from the disease."

The symptoms, as described by Dr. Sutton, have a general similarity to those observed in this vicinity-sufficient to show that they refer to the same disease.

POST-MORTEM APPEARANCES.

The following account of the post-mortem appearances has been prepared by Dr. George L. Collins, of this city, and is given in his own words:

"CASE I. The first hog examined was at Thomas Cerron's pen in Cranston, February 9, 1861. Present, Drs. Snow, Ely, and Caswell. The subject was a

sow, in poor condition: would weigh from eighty to ninety pounds. She had been sick for several days, and was but just able to walk with a feeble, tottering step. The skin, on the ears and the tail, presented purple patches, and some spots were noticed upon the belly and legs. The animal was killed by bleeding.

"There was scarcely any fat upon the viscera. The lungs were collapsed, but healthy, with the exception of the most depending portions, along the anterior border, where, to a slight extent, there was an appearance of congestion, with a deficiency of air in the part; giving a condition almost perfectly resembling antelectasis, as seen in a newly-born infant. The heart was healthy. The stomach was healthy. It was pretty well distended with an offensive compound of food. The small intestine contained some yellowish, thin matter, and about two dozen worms-ascaris lumbricoides; this portion of the intestines appeared healthy. The large intestine, as had been previously the small, was opened throughout its In the cæcum were found two ulcerated whole extent, and carefully washed. patches, each three-quarters of an inch in diameter. The whole mucous surface of this portion of the intestine was softened, so that it could be easily scraped off with the handle of a knife. The muscular coat was, also, thought to be softened; allowing the intestine to be more readily torn than in the healthy state. The color, in some portions, was much darker than normal. The other organs appeared healthy, with the exception of the kidneys, which were of a yellowish-brown color; quite changed from the healthy character. The bladder was empty. In the omentum were two cysts, about an inch in diameter, each of which contained an echinococcus.

"CASE II. At this visit we saw a boar, probably of two hundred pounds weight, which had been sick with the disease more than a week, and was thought to be getting better. He presented no marked symptoms; no cough nor quick breathing. At our next visit to this pen, February 13th, four days after the first, this animal was found dead, and was examined by Dr. Ely. The same medical gentlemen were present as before.

"The mouth was normal. The surface of the skin was very much marked by purple discolorations, particularly upon the ears and the tail, and the depending portions of the body. The heart was healthy. The left lung was mostly healthy. The depending portion exhibited the appearance of congestion, as observed in the first case. The right lung was adherent to the costal pleura by recent adhesions. Nearly the whole of it was in the second stage of pneumonia; a portion of it was passing into the third stage. The stomach presented one patch of ulceration, on the mucous membrane, about half an inch in diameter; otherwise it was healthy. The intestines were opened throughout the whole extent, and washed. The small intestine contained a little thin, yellowish matter, a few worms, and appeared healthy. The large intestine showed no ulceration; but the mucous membrane was thought to be softer than in the healthy condition. The kidneys were of a yellowish color, as if fatty. The bladder contained four ounces of urine. The other organs were healthy.

« VorigeDoorgaan »