Hog cholera, also known as swine fever, is a disease native to America. It is highly contagious and its prevalence led to the first notice of an animal disease by the federal government in 1860.

In 1903 the Bureau of Animal Industry conclusively determined the viral etiology of the disease and in 1906 Marion Dorset developed a serum-virus method of immunizing hogs. While this progress made considerable advances against the disease, by 1946 many came to believe that non-virulent vaccines were necessary for full eradication. The use of virulent hog cholera virus vaccines was outlawed in 1963.

By 1965, all states were enrolled in the four-phase eradication program; five states were free from hog cholera and only three states remained in the preparatory stage of the program. However, the debate about how best to conquer the disease continued and on July 1, 1969, the use of modified live virus vaccines became illegal and use of killed vaccines was restricted to a few states.

An outbreak of the disease in the Midwest and South in August of 1972 prompted the United States Animal Health Association to call a special meeting, which resulted in the Secretary of Agriculture declaring a state of emergency on Oct. 11, 1972 and thereby freeing federal funds to assist in combating the outbreaks.

April of 1973 was the first hog cholera-free month in the country in more than 100 years and, after a series of isolated incidents, the last case in the country was diagnosed in New Jersey on August 1, 1976.

In January of 1978, the secretary of agriculture declared the country free of hog cholera.

The collection contains pamphlets and reprints relating to early research on hog cholera (1892-1918), a history of USDA hog cholera research (1962), and 14 photographs (8 4x5 and 6 5x7 B/W prints) of the first swine herd in Iowa to receive Erysip. vaccine (B.A.1.) and anti-swine Erysip. serum (1940).