PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION K. 701 



The relative healthy condition of our flocks and herds is in 

 itself sufficient evidence of the valuable work performed by the 

 veterinary services of the different States, but it is questionable 

 whether the fact is realized by the community. The application 

 of repressive measures based upon scientific principles now confines 

 to localities outbreaks of infectious diseases which in years past 

 invariably spread rapidly throughout the land, causing severe 

 losses to stock-owners and heavy expense to the State before they 

 were brought under control. There still, however, remains much 

 to be done in connexion with the repression of tuberculosis and 

 pleuro-pneumonia contagiosa, while the eradication of the cattle 

 tick and the elucidation of the problems attending several diseases 

 peculiar to our flocks and herds have yet to be grappled with. It 

 would appear that full measure of success in the repression of 

 the diseases mentioned is not possible under existing conditions, 

 as the vastness of our grazing territories and the rudimentary 

 methods of stock-raising generally practised on our cattle stations 

 militate against that effective surveillance which insidious diseases 

 require. Material progress may, however, be anticipated when 

 our lands are more closely settled and the veterinary services 

 considerably augmented. 



Important as the work of the veterinary service in suppressing 

 diseases that arise within the State, of still greater importance 

 is its duty to prevent the introduction of disease from without; 

 but unfortunately few, other than the experts who have closely 

 studied the m.atter, adequately conceive what our freedom from 

 such diseases as foot-and-mouth disease, rinderpest, glanders, 

 rabies, &c., means to the prosperity of the country and the welfare 

 of the community. It has been estimated that, up to the middle 

 of November last, the outbreaks of foot and-mouth disease in 

 England and Ireland had, directly and indirectly, involved a loss 

 in six months of not less than £2,000,000; yet this disease is 

 not the most serious animal plague that has been kept out of our 

 territories. As to the calamitous results that would follow the 

 dissemination of rabies among our bush animals, one can only 

 form dire speculations. It is true that security against the intro- 

 duction of these plagues may be acquired by absolutely prohibiting 

 the im.portation of animals and their products from foreign 

 countries, but such procedure would in time stagnate commerce. 

 Fortunately, the advancement made in our knowledge as to the 

 true nature of these diseases, the acquirement of reliable 

 diagnostic methods for the revealraent of insidious conditions, and 

 the efficacy of prophylactic treatment, have permitted importa- 

 tions to be made, subject to certain conditions being observed. 

 Thus the improvement of our flocks and herds has been facilitated, 

 and the expansion of the commercial fields of Avistralasia 

 materially assisted, without incurring the dire penalties that 

 frequently attend these practices. 



