FACIAL ECZEMA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 May 1938, Page 3

FACIAL ECZEMA

POSITION IN WANGANUI AREA MUCH IMPROVED ( FURTHER SPREAD UNLIKELY By Telegraph.—Press Association. WANGANUI, May 10. The danger of a further spread of facial eczema among stock in the Wanganui district now appears to have vanished. A representative of the Department of Agriculture said today that the recent colder weather with heavy morning frosts had improved the position greatly, and it was not expected that any further trouble would be experienced this season. The disease in the Wanganui district was not as serious as in other districts. The department received reports of large-scale infection, but in many cases these were found to be very exaggerated when a detailed investigation was made. In no case was it necessary to fall back on slaughtering to ease the position. “The Wanganui district does.not contain the type of country conducive to the disease,” said the chief inspector of stock today. “Neither was the season experienced here the same as that in the Waikato and Hawke’s Bay, where, according to reports, the disease was very bad.” An abnormally dry season, followed by plenty of rain on heavily manured and top-dressed land, appears to make the prevalence of the disease probable. Throughout the season the Wanganui area was able to provide sufficient feed, and precautions have been taken to see that too much feed is not given animals at present. Wherever cases of infection have been discovered, the Wanganui branch of the Department of Agriculture has given advice to farmers, and in nearly all cases the animals have been found to respond to the treatment. IN HAWKE’S BAY EARLY DISAPPEARANCE EXPECTED (By Telegraph—Press Association). HASTINGS, May 10. With the arrival of cooler' weather facial eczema is expected by Mr A. D. M. Laing, Government veterinarian in Hawke’s Bay, to disappear. Mr Laing said he was quite confident the change in the weather would mean the end of the trouble.

ERRONEOUS STATEMENT CONCERN IN POVERTY BAY (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, May 10. An appeal for an authoritative pronouncement refuting published statements attributing the facial eczema outbreak to stock secured from the Gisborne district is being made by the Poverty Bay Sheepowners’ Union to the Minister of Agriculture. The union points out that veterinarians agree that the disease is noncontagious and cannot be carried from one district to another. It is considered that if a false impression persists the district’s trade in livestock is likely to be prejudiced.

FEW WAIRARAPA CASES. DISEASE IN MILD FORM. Very few cases of facial eczema have been reported in the Wairarapa, all of a fairly mild character and responding readily to treatment, said Mr W. J. Gray, Government Veterinarian this morning. Not more than five or six cases had been definitely diagnosed among sheep, though the disease had appeared as far distant as Pirinoa and Masterton. The last case to be reported was at the beginning of the month.