Diseases in Cattle.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 262, 4 December 1903, Page 4

Diseases in Cattle.

THE CANTERBURY CASES. According to a telegram from Chi-istahurcb, "the position generally promises to become alarming in regard to tuberculosis in cattle in tho Canterbury district." The veterinary branch of the Department of Agriculture does not take the gerioas view of the condition of affairs as the read or would be led to believe exists after porusini* the Rhristehureh telegram. Tuberculosis in oattie is pravatest in erery part of New Zealand, it is obly of recent years, however, tjiartfcbs tuberculin test has been applied more rigorously in seane districts *bam in others. In Hawke's Bay, for instance, in one year over four nu»dred hvad of oattla that displayed •ul/erculous symptoms were slaughtered. All the annuals destroyed, feowevor, were not lit ssbjeots " for destruction ; some were just tainted with the disease, but they were slaughtered all the sgme. Tfceojnes*on appears to be one of discrimination as to what boasts should bo ..«ond«mn«d, and what proportion, afle«ted with the disease, should ' be isolated to enable them to he pro|>erly .treated, with a view to recovery. lu liis latest report bo the Minister of Agriculture, the chief veterinarian deals with this subject of tubeiculosis in cuttle. Ik-viewing the position, .*n- CilmtW remarks : ■"'The work done in eonncctiou with ttiis disease lias been mostly of a pontine nature, and, while no special special operations have been undertaken, there are indications that satisfactory progress has been made in checking its ravaged ami possibly reducing them to a slight OKtent. In accordance with the practice adopted for some years past, the tuberculin test has keen applied .whenever desired by owners- of herds, and only compulsorily where there has been reason to believe that any ftnrticciiur herd has (wen badly affected, or in doubtful individual casus. The returns furnis'hed by stock inspectors of results of post mortem examinations of condemned animals show that some of these officers •arry out their duties hi this connection in a thorough' and intelligent manner ; while others, doubtJess on account of the mam- duties devolving upon them, and occupying a large portion ot their time, appear to have been able to do bwt little in the direction of weeding out badly diseased and consequently infective animals. Now that the'orec«4on of the Wallaceville lalHwatorv «a authorised, and there Is a oood propsuct of becoming- located In a spot ■ where effective exp.-rimental Work can be carried on, I propose M soon as we are well settled in the jlace, to initiate an exhaustive series of"experiments in connection with this di.s«-ase, more especially' In the Election of the lately disputed .cfm*tion ef its comnrunicability from the bovine to the human being, and vice Itt-'isa. At the present laboratory situate* as it is in the heart of the city, such work is absolutely impossible.

11l regard to the Christchufth cases, it may l )e explained that the tio•fcrnmont veterinary surgeon has «hmt*g the last few weeks been afcle w> tiuToto more attention to raivate ■•rds (apart from his duties at the ■"•ezrog works), and b»m» the In•!*a»*d ■umber of caws of tuberculoma Kiported,