Further reduction in working funds for 1935 ($12,470 for hog-cholera control looking to eradication, $1,000 for investigation of methods of producing immunization against hog cholera, and $20,006 for control of manufacture, importation, and shipment of viruses, serums, toxins, etc.)___ 5-percent salary restoration_. -$33, 476 +16, 593 --79, 485 WORK DONE UNDER THIS APPROPRIATION The Hog cholera is the most destructive disease of swine in our country. direct annual losses have varied from eighteen to sixty-five million dollars annually. Funds appropriated for hog-cholera work are used to study the disease, including the ways by which it is disseminated and the most effectual means of prevention to cooperate with the various States in control measures, and the supervision of the commercial production of biological products, including anti-hog-cholera serum and virus under the provisions of the Virus, Serum, Toxins Act. Dr. MOHLER. There is altogether a decrease in working funds of $33,476; $12,470 in the field work, $1,000 in the investigational work just referred to, and $20,006 in the supervision of the manufacture of hog cholera serum and other biologics in the different plants, making a total of $33,476 reduction in the working fund. Mr. SANDLIN. Now, will you give us a statement of the work done? GENERAL STATEMENT OF WORK DONE Dr. MOHLER. Despite the great strides made in the methods of controlling hog cholera by serum-virus inoculation, this disease remains one of the most important to farmers in the United States. Only about one third, or even less, of the hogs in the United States, are protected by vaccination. This is due at present to several conditions, but the relative cost involved in immunizing is always an important factor. The chief objectives of the Bureau's work have been (1) improvement of the present methods, particularly by reducing the cost; (2) development of a vaccine cheap enough to bring about universal use, thus permitting the elimination of hog cholera as a menace to the swine industry; and (3) improvement in methods of diagnosis. The principal lines of work during the current year may be very briefly summarized as follows: (1) The study of the results obtained by immunizing suckling pigs has been continued with satisfactory results. If this system could be generally adopted the dose of serum and the cost of treatment should be materially reduced; (2) Studies are being made of the potency of serum obtained through the use of smaller doses of virus, for hyperimmunizing. This work is incomplete and is coupled with studies intended to develop a more potent serum than 1 The reduction of $33,476 in working funds for 1935 includes: (a) A decrease of $12,470 for hog cholera control looking to eradication.-This decrease will be arranged for by a reduction in the personnel, estimated to be equivalent to the services of four veterinarians, and their necessary travel. The disease, owing to the more general use of preventive serums, and the better sanitation advocated by the Bureau, has become less prevalent, and it is believed that the remaining force will be ample to cope with the situation in 1935. (b) A decrease of $1,000 for the investigation of methods of producing immunization against hog cholera. This decrease will be absorbed in the curtailment of serum production-$300 in purchase of supplies, $500 in travel, and $200 in purchase of equipment. (c) A decrease of $20,006 for the control of manufacture, importation, and shipment of viruses, serums, toxins, etc.-This work is regulatory, being the supervision required by law over the plants manufacturing animal biologies. By careful rearrangement of the forces, a reduction of approximately 11 inspectors will be made, thus absorbing the amount of decrease. that now produced. Success along either of these two lines should result in lowered cost of serum; (3) Aside from veterinary service, the chief cost of our present method in protecting hogs against cholera lies in the serum that is used. Experiments are under way which have for their object the development of a vaccine or attenuated virus which could be used without serum to produce the desired immunity. Under the present method of manufacturing the serum, they use simply the blood, or serum of the blood. We are now working on the development of a vaccine which we hope will be a better and cheaper product. Mr. CANNON. What would be the advantage of using the vaccine instead of the serum? You have now serum that is made by taking the blood of the animal that has had hog cholera. As I understand it, you make the material from that blood. Dr. MOHLER. It will do away with the expense of destroying a two or three hundred pound hog to get its serum. Such large serum hogs would not be needed. Only small virus pigs would be used. That would cheapen the cost of the serum by probably 75 percent. It would also cheapen the cost of immunization. During the current year considerable progress has been made in this direction and pigs have been successfully protected without serum and with a vaccine which was in itself harmless. While these results are encouraging, they are only preliminary since many important questions need to be answered before and vaccine can be recommended for use in practice. (4) One of the factors that has at times caused trouble in the practical field application of the serum-virus treatment has been the very great difficulty experienced by veterinarians in making a certain diagnosis while the disease is yet in its early stages. For the purpose of solving this problem we have begun a very careful study of the precipitin, complement fixation, and other diagnostic reactions in hog cholera. What we call precipitin and fixation tests are like the tests that are used for syphilis in man, such as the Wassermann test. It is, apparently, going to work out very satisfactorily; (5) In addition to the above lines of work efforts are being made to improve the quality of virus to obtain more efficient preservatives for serum and virus, and to acquire more information relative to the modes of dissemination of hog cholera. Mr. CANNON. The only remedy for hog cholera is vaccination. Mr. CANNON. No other remedy has been discovered? Dr. MOHLER. No, sir. Mr. THURSTON. The cost of producing that article has been reduced during the last few years, has it not? Dr. MOHLER. Yes, sir; but only because hogs have greatly decreased in value. The present method of producing it is from the blood of the hog, and with the reduced value of hogs, the cost of production naturally follows suit. The average price is 60 cents per 100 cubic centimeters, but recently it has sold as low as 30 cents per hundred, and that is very cheap serum. Mr. HART. What is the dosage for one animal? Dr. MOHLER. It depends upon the weight of the animal. Those weighing from 90 to 200 pounds would require from 45 to 75 cubic centimeters. The average cost would be between 60 and 65 cents for the serum. Mr. THURSTON. What did you say was the cost? Dr. MOHLER. The average cost for the serum would probably be 60 or 65 cents per animal. To this must be added a small additional cost for the virus and the price of injecting it if done by a veterinarian. Mr. CANNON. I believe you said that the most economical method would be to vaccinate the pigs. Dr. MOHLER. Yes, sir; because they weigh less, require less serum, and there is less trouble in handling them. The labor involved in administering it is less. Mr. THURSTON. What would you say would be the average cost of immunizing a 200-pound hog? Dr. MOHLER. It would not cost more than 75 cents for the serum. Mr. THURSTON. For a $5 hog, the cost of the serum would be about 75 cents? Dr. MOHLER. Yes, sir. Mr. THURSTON. It would cost almost one fourth the value of the hog. Dr. MOHLER. Yes, sir. That is the reason I said that less than one third of the hogs today are immunized. Mr. HART. What would be the cost of immunizing a pig 3 or 4 weeks old? Can you use it that early? Dr. MOHLER. Yes, sir; we can use it on pigs 10 days old. Mr. HART. What would be the cost of immunizing a pig of that age? Dr. MOHLER. That would cost about 5 or 6 cents for 10 cubic centimeter's of serum. Mr. HART. Then, that is the time to do it. Dr. MOHLER. Yes, sir. Mr. CANNON. How long will it be effective? Dr. MOHLER. So far as we have been able to learn, it is effective for life, except in very rare cases. Of course, hogs usually go to the shambles when they are about 10 months old, and the vaccination carries them through that period. In the case of a pure-bred pig, vaccinated when small, I would not want to take chances on keeping him immunized over a period of 3 or 4 years, but I would want to give such an annimal when adult another injection. However, 99 percent of them go to the shambles before 2 years, and they are well protected throughout that time. Mr. THURSTON. The cost of immunizing a young pig would be about 5 or 6 cents, you say? Dr. MOHLER. Yes, sir; for the serum. Mr. THURSTON. What is the average charge that the veterinarian makes for this service? Dr. MOHLER. I do not know. They are charging less now than formerly. It depends on the number of pigs he vaccinates and how far he has to go in order to reach the farm. If the farm is 10 miles away, he charges mileage. It would depend upon the time it would take, as well as the character of the roads he must travel over. It would depend largely upon the distance of the farm from his place and the number of pigs to be vaccinated. Mr. THURSTON. I was wondering if you had any average for that. Dr. MOHLER. No, sir. Mr. CANNON. How long does the vaccine retain its potency? Dr. MOHLER. We have kept serum from 6 to 7 years. It was kept in an icebox, and was just as potent as it was the day we put it there. Mr. CANNON. As I understand it, the thing that destroys its effectiveness is heat. Dr. MOHLER. Heat is the principal thing. It stands freezing, but it will not stand being transported on hot days, traveling around in a Ford car, with a temperature at 92 degrees in the shade. It stands cold temperatures very nicely. Mr. THURSTON. It could be carried in a thermos bottle. Dr. MOHLER. Yes, sir; and many veterinarians keep it that way. EFFECT OF REDUCTION IN FUNDS FOR 1935 Mr. CANNON. What is the reduction in this appropriation this year, according to the Budget estimates? Dr. MOHLER. $33,476. Mr. CANNON. Is that the reduction for 1935 under 1934? Dr. MOHLER. Yes, sir; for the working fund. Mr. CANNON. Now, just how would that curtail your activities, or how would your activities be affected by this reduction of $33,476? Dr. MOHLER. The principal curtailment would be in the control of the manufacture of hog-cholera serum and other biologies, where the reduction is $20,006. Mr. CANNON. That is for the manufacture of serum that goes direct to farmers? Dr. MOHLER. Yes, sir. Mr. CANNON. Do you not think that is a very unfortunate reduction? Dr. MOHLER. I did not advocate it. That is what was decided upon by the Budget. Then in this other item for hog-cholera control, looking to eradication, the reduction is $12,470. That is for control in the field, and we will have to reduce our force there by about four men. Mr. CANNON. As between the two reductions, one for the control of the manufacture, importation, and shipment of viruses, serums, and toxins, and the reduction in the other item for hog-cholera control, looking to eradication, involving your field force, you would prefer which? Dr. MOHLER. Well, the field force contacts the farmer and gives him information throughout the year. I do not like to see our people lose contact with the farmers in the field. The other reduc tion of $20,000 would represent a reduced personnel of 11 men located in the serum plants, such as the Anchor, Allied, Globe, Liberty, and other serum plants. The reduction in force would have to be made in the places where the serum is being made. If we lose the $12,470, we will have to take 4 men out of 4 States. We have only one man in many States now. Mr. CANNON. That would be a difference of $12,470. Dr. MOHLER. Yes, sir. Mr. CANNON. And the reduction for the control of manufacture of vaccines, etc., would be about $20,000. Dr. MOHLER. Yes, sir. Mr. CANNON. You have a reduction of $1,000 in the item for investigation of methods of producing immunization against hog cholera. Dr. MOHLER. Yes, sir; but that involves curtailment of expenses rather than a reduced personnel. Mr. CANNON. And a reduction of $12,470 in the item for hog cholera control looking to eradication, and a reduction of $20,006 in the item for the control of manufacture, etc. Dr. MOHLER. Yes, sir. The field control work, where we have the reduction of $12,470, represents men in the field looking after the outbreaks. The item in which there is a reduction of $20,000 involves men in the serum establishments, seeing that the serum is properly made, properly preserved, and properly handled. The item in which there is a reduction of $1,000 is entirely for research work. That is the research fund for getting more information on some of these newer things, a better preservative for hog cholera virus, a cheaper and more effective vaccine, etc. Mr. SANDLIN. Is there anything else on this item? Dr. MOHLER. Owing to reduction in appropriation for the fiscal year 1934, hog-cholera work had to be discontinued in five States, namely, California, Idaho, Montana, Utah, and West Virginia. The project remains in effect in 25 States, and the services of approximately 32 veterinarians are now being utilized on the project. The nature of hog cholera makes it important that a close watch be kept to prevent extensive outbreaks and a spread of the plague. A dangerous factor lies in the fact that farmers have not been financially able to have their herds immunized, which leaves a large number of hogs susceptible to cholera infection. Cholera has been slightly more prevalent this year than last, particularly in Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska. Bureau veterinarians assigned to hog-cholera work quite frequently assist in other projects in cases of emergency. For instance 17 of these inspectors assisted in the hog-reduction program of the A.A.A. during August, September, and October of this fiscal year. The mortality rate in swine from hog cholera for the last few years is estimated as follows: 1929, hogs destroyed per 1,000 of population__ 1930, hogs destroyed per 1,000 of population. 1931, hogs destroyed per 1.000 of population_ 1932, hogs destroyed per 1,000 of population.......... 29.8 26 25 28 These estimates are for the calendar years. Losses for 1933 have not yet been computed, but will probably be slightly larger than for 1932. |