VIRUS FOR RABBITS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 July 1939, Page 3

VIRUS FOR RABBITS

HOPES DISAPPOINTED.

ANIMALS AVOID INFECTION. Much was hoped of the virus tried out at Wardang Island, in the South Australian Gulf. It was hoped that the virulent geTm discovered by Sir Charles Martin, which apparently did not affect birds or other animals than rabbits, would enable the practical extermination of the pest in Australia.

It was never anticipated that the social life of these rodents would prevent the spread of the disease encouraged by the virus. Dr L. B. Bull, Chief of the Division of Animal Health and Nutrition of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, stated recently that the inoculation of one or several rabbits on an area of about 30 acres did little more than result in the death of the individual rabbit treated. It was discovered that as soon as the virus starts to affect the health of the rabbit inoculated, the subject either voluntarily or under compulsion from other members of the rabbit community isolates itself until it dies. Thus the contact necessary to spread the disease is lost. Dr Bull said that a careful record had been kept of the positions of carcases of rabbits that had died on the island as a result of inoculations. It was found that the spot was invariably a long way from the warrens of the generally rabbit-infested area. Further experiments are to be conducted to sec whether it is possible to use insects as a medium for carrying the disease germs from affected to healthy rabbits.