FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 832, 30 July 1910, Page 8

FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE

OUTBREAKS IN ARGENTINA AND ~-Y: : - ;'■•.., -: , ENGLAND: '•.Foot-and-mouth 'disease, which gave -considerable-trouble in Argentina recently, has broken but in England. Eng■la'nd, some time ago, prohibited importation. of Argentine stock. '..In ..the House ', of' Commons recently Mr:-Bpwerman asked the Parliamentary Secretary to'the Board of Agriculture if he would state the date when the Argentine Government officially declared that, country to be'free from foot-and-mouth disease, what steps tho board have.taken during the meantime to verity such declaration; and what is the reason of. the.board's delay in acceding to the request of the Argentine Government that they should be permitted to export live cattle to this country for slaughter. Sir E. Strachey.in reply, said that, the declaration was. dated August 25 last. It was made officially by the Argentine Government," and- the board took no steps to yerify.it. The freedom of' a country froiri disease at any given time was not the.only;.consideration which the Board of. Agriculture were required to take into account iu.considering whether or not the importation of animals into England should bo permitted; and in view, among other things, of th'e past history of- foot-and-mouth disease in Argentina, and of its geographical position in relation to other'countries in which the disease, was known to exist, tbe board did not feel justified in withdrawing, the existing, prohibition.

Some;.details about, the outbreaks of fobt-aiid-mouth disease in Argentina, and the measures adopted to deal with them, are given in the "Buenos Ayres Standard." The' disease appears to have broken out first in Corrintes, and two veterinary officials were sent there to ascertain whether'the malady was really foot-and-. mouth disease. After making laboratory experiments they came to the conclusion that,the disease was the malady in question.' They recommended, however, further diagnosis, and Professor Lignieres, director of the Bacteriological Laboratory, • was sent to carry it out, whilo twenty veterinary surgeons were dispersed among the infected districts to map out infected zones, and adopt restrictions against the transport of cattle from them. That Professor Lignieres confirmed the verdict of his colleagues is. to be • assumed from the announcement of the Argentine Government to that effect. . A' cable message published on Monday ..stated that the outbreak in England is con--fined to a"farm at Kirby Jlalzeard, in /Yorkshire, where the. authorities ordered 'the. slaughter of 25 cattle, nine sheep, and three pigs., '.•■, ,','.. The Department of Argiculluro of Ireland has forbidden the importation from "Britain of cattle, sheep, goats, and swine. '..News from Ottawa' says', that in consequence cf the outbreak in- England, Can'ada is prohibiting the importation of British cattle. .

, Mr. ,'Ale.v. alutrie, one of Ihe pioneer 6fcttlers- of Masterton, who ' has leased the farm at Manaia which he has occupied since his boyhood, has taken np His residenco in the town.