Notes. 107 



Anthrax: Contraction by Natives. 



The Department has constantly warned iarmers of the great 

 danger to themselves, their live stock, and, indeed, to the well-being 

 of South Africa, that exists in the presence of anthrax. Every 

 farmer should now realize the danger and be well acquainted with 

 the part he should carry out in staying the progress of the disease. 

 He should view the present situation of the country with grave con- 

 cern, for anthrax is very prevalent in parts of the Union, and is 

 spreading with alarming rapidity. As an instance of how the disease 

 is spread, the Secretary for Public Health draws attention to three 

 cases of anthrax in natives due to the consumption of portions of the 

 carcass of an ox which had died of anthrax on a farm in the Orange 

 Free State. It is a pernicious and dangerous action to give dead 

 carcasses of any kind to natives, and farmers are urged in the general 

 interest to desist from such a practice in future. 



East Coast Fever in the Transvaal. 



When East Coast fever made its appearance in the Pretoria Dis- 

 trict about two and a half years ago there were hardly any dipping 

 tanks in the infected area, with the result tliat the Department was 

 unable to check the spread of the disease, and a large number of 

 farms became infected before additional tanks could be erected. To- 

 day nearly 600 dipping tanks are in commission in the district (which 

 consists of about 620 farms), and the Department is thus able to deal 

 satisfactorily with the disease : it is gratifying to report that no 

 further cases of the disease have occurred in tlie district during the 

 past month or two. 



Unfortunately the disease has recently made its appearance in 

 Solomon Marabas' location, Waterberg District, some 10 miles north- 

 east of Potgietersrust and about 80 miles from the nearest infection 

 in the Pretoria District, due undoubtedly to an illegal movement of 

 stock or some other illegal act which the Department has not been 

 able to discover; there are, however, several tanks in the location men- 

 tioned and also on farms in its vicinity, and as dipping is being 

 carried out in that locality. Minister's orders for the erection of tanks 

 on all farms therein having been issued, it is hoped that the disease 

 will be arrested and stamped out. 



Owing to illegal movements the disease has also spread to three 

 farms in the Witbank area, Middclburg District, but as dipping is 

 now in progress on these farms it is hoped that the disease will not 

 spread any further. It is feared, however, that by illegal movements 

 of stock the disease may spread from the lower lying infected parts 

 of the Pretoria District to the adjoining low veld parts of the 

 Middelburg District, and in order to afford more protection for the 

 cattle in those parts, the existing compulsory dipping area therein 

 will be extended so as to include all farms situate between the Olifants 

 Piver in wards Selons Piver and Secocoeni, and approximately 

 the main road from Middelburg town to Pokwane location, etc. 

 Minister's orders for the construction of tanks in this area have been 

 issued, and Mr. Melt van Niekerk, of the Department, has recently 

 held several meetings there with a view to explaining to the farmers 

 ■the necessity for extending the compulsory dipping area and for the 

 construction of the required tanks, also the assistance available to 

 farmers in the shape of the supply of cement at cost price and the " 

 granting of loans by the Land Bank in terms of the Dipping Tanks 

 Advances Act, No. 20 of 1911. 



