THE QUARANTINE SYSTEM.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1659, 28 January 1913, Page 10

THE QUARANTINE SYSTEM.

/ A -HARE DISEASE DETECTED. Th 6" valuo .of the quarantine system as applied to imported animals was, according to Mr. C. J. Reakes, head of tho L*vo . Stock -Division of the Department of Agriculture, . well> demonstrated-in a recent ?'case' .yrhidh-, occurred ,at",, 'Auckland.. A dog from ono of the Pacific ; islands was -found, while undergoing detention at the quarantine: station, to be ' affected by the condition ■ termed fU&rinsis . —in other words, to bo harbouring in its - system parasitic worms of tho class term- ■ cd Filaria.— A popular term, for tho'particular affection present in' this case is, . "heart-worm;" the parasites being present in the henrt itself. • .The mature worms ■ aro of considerable size,;ono taken from, ; . tho heart of this particular • dog being V' 7in. in 'length,.and'several 'of theso were' ; ' : present, all being located in _ tho right : .ventricle. Outwardly the animal show-. . ed no [indication of sickness .or- of any trouble whatever, and the-presence of the ■' parasites 'w'as only determined by the fact - that, as a proper precautionary measure,* a small quantity of blood was ob- .. during l.iii'and .stibjecktl'.to ifiicrpKcopical' examination; - .> -This ■ clearly de- - , monstrated the presence in the blood of ithe parasite in ,n\very early stago of its existence. The presence of,tho parasitio ; disease being thus'proved, the animil'Was destroyed, and a post-mortem examina- .- tion '/.conclusively confirmed ; tho opinion [previously, formed. 1 , The particular patasite resjwnsiblo :[or this ;condition;*is; named rilatia:.immitis. It affects dogs-'in -many parts, of-; the "world, .'particularly in: India, China, jJapan,. the rPacific. islands,- and,;the.south-, '■ «rn States -of America." ''Cases aro also - stated to have.'been. met with in .Denmark/ Italy; Germany,"and Prance.' So far as is known onlyone case has been; met with previously"'nTNew''Zea-' • Band, -and in this particular ..instance;, which occurred £ovetalycars- : rigo/-it is - impossible ;to . ascertaitt'.whether.' the : 'd6g '■ :was an imported onoor not. f- Although ' idogs infested with these-parasites do not show, in the majority of cases at' lf.ast, any, signs., by - which* their;-presence can - lie told'.by the ordinary observer;, it has that symptotns'pf circulatory : V interference ' can- often ■ -:be-'- detected. frhua, lamenessV: 0: ono , hind leg,. '[with 1 ;.-.. wasting .of • its muscles, and even-partial paralysis.-;•> This has been noticed in, animals'- of.the Great.Dane, breed. Owing to the'parasites interfer-ing."with-tha-circulation .of. ,the'>brain, . fainting and convulsions may occur, and often ! the-animal may- become (lull and snappish. .- Emaciation ,nnd weakness.aro - /generally; seen'.in' the later.' stages/;- l .■ 1