374 VETERINARY HYGIENE 



Cattle Plague (Rinderpest), Foot-and-Mouth Disease, Glanders or Farcy, 

 Epizootic Lymphangitis, Parasitic Mange of Horses, Asses and Mules (certain 

 forms), Contagious Pleuro-Pneumonia of Cattle, Rabies, Sheep-Pox, Sheep-Scab, 

 Swine Fever, and (at present suspended) Bovine Tuberculosis (certain forms). 



The primary objects of the Ministry, so far as animal disease is concerned, 

 is to prevent the entrance into this country of these scheduled diseases, to keep 

 under control such as are here epizootic or enzootic and to work for their 

 ultimate eradication. For these purposes the Acts are formulated for the com- 

 pulsory notification of these diseases ; for the immediate isolation or segregation 

 of the diseased or suspected animals ; to provide for the diagnosis of suspected 

 disease by specially trained persons ; for the slaughter of diseased or incontact 

 animals where this may be necessary, and for the payment of compensation; 

 for the apprehension and punishment of offenders against the Orders issued by 

 the Ministry; for the systematic inspection of markets, sales, fairs and exhibi- 

 tions, &c., and for the seizure therein of any " diseased " or incontact animals 

 where this may be necessary; for regulating the transit of animals under all 

 conditions, both for safeguarding the country from disease and also for the 

 humane treatment of animals when in transit; for controlling the import of 

 animals and things which may introduce disease, and for the inspection at the 

 ports of disembarkation of living animals and for their slaughter while isolated. 



The Local Authorities are required to execute and enforce the Acts and 

 Orders. 



In England and Wales the L.As. are (1) for Boroughs where the population 

 exceeds 10,000, the Borough Council ; and (2) for the residue of each adminis- 

 trative county, the County Council. For the City of London the L.A. is the 

 Common Council which also acts as the L.A. for the County of London, where 

 the Acts relate to Foreign Animals. For Scotland the L.As. are (1) the Magis- 

 trates and Town Councils of each burgh which contains a population of more 

 than 7000 ; and (2) the County Council for each county and for residual burghs. 

 In Ireland the whole of the powers which are conferred upon the Ministry are 

 vested in the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction (Ireland). 



Under Article 35 of the 1894 Act every L.A. is bound to appoint as many 

 inspectors and " other officers " as the L.A. may think necessary, and must appoint 

 at least one Veterinary Inspector and as many more as the Ministry may direct. 

 The appointment of the inspectors of the L.A. is subject to the approval of the 

 Ministry, but such inspectors, including veterinary inspectors, are responsible 

 to the L.A., which is in turn responsible to the Ministry for the efficient working 

 of the Acts and Orders. Local Authorities appoint certain of their police officers 

 to act as inspectors. 



Though the L.As. are required to enforce all the Acts and Orders pertaining 

 to the scheduled diseases, the diagnosis and control of some of them rests entirely 

 with the Ministry, with some partly with the Ministry and partly with the L.As., 

 while for others the responsibility is wholly on the L,As., except that all the 

 Acts and Orders must be executed to the satisfaction of the Central Authority, 

 and that the L.As. or their officers must keep the Central Authority informed 

 by forwarding reports of the existence, or suspected existence, of the diseases. 



The diseases for the diagnosis and control of which the Ministry takes the 

 responsibility are : Contagious Pleuro-Pneumonia of Cattle, Cattle Plague 

 (Rinderpest), Epizootic Lymphangitis, Swine Fever, Sheep-Pox and Rabies. 

 When the existence of any one of these diseases is suspected the P.C. of the 

 district must at once notify the Ministry (telegraphic address, Agrifi., Westrand., 

 London) by telegraph as well as reporting to his L.A. Notwithstanding that 

 the Ministry requires telegraphic notification of the supposed existence of these 

 diseases, the L.A. must also obtain the professional opinion of its V.I., except 

 in the case of Swine Fever. 



In the case of Anthrax no telegraphic report is made to the Ministry. The 

 L.A., through its V.I., may give a negative diagnosis or a tentative positive one, 

 the latter, however, is subsequently confirmed or refuted by the Ministry. 



The Local Authorities, through their V.Is., take the responsibility for the 

 diagnosis of Glanders or Farcy, Parasitic Mange of Horses, Asses and Mules, 

 Sheep-Scab and Bovine Tuberculosis. 



