TUBERCULOSIS 41 



at their May and June meetings. They recalled the points 

 agreed upon in February, 1897, which served as the basis of 

 their witnesses' evidence given before the Royal Commission. 

 These were : 



(a) That any proposal for ' stamping out ' tuberculosis by 

 means of slaughter -on the lines adopted with marked success 

 in the case of Cattle Plague, Foot and Mouth Disease and Pleuro- 

 Pneumonia is quite impracticable. 



t; (6) That compensation for pecuniary loss suffered by farmers, 

 butchers or others, by reason of the seizure of tuberculous animals 

 or meat in the interests of tbe public health, should be paid for 

 from Imperial funds. 



'' (c) That the owners of milking cows visibly affected with 

 tuberculosis, or having chronic diseases of the udder or found 

 to yield tuberculous milk, should be compelled to notify the 

 fact, and that such animals should be at once slaughtered, and 

 compensation paid for them out of Imperial funds to the extent 

 of at least J three -fourths of their value. With the view of giving 

 effect to this suggestion, an inspection of all dairies at stated 

 intervals by a veterinary surgeon appointed by the Board of 

 Agriculture." 



On (a) the Commissioners agreed with the Chamber. On 

 (6) they " cannot on the merits of the case recommend com- 

 pensation." The Chamber expressed their objection to this 

 on the ground that three out of the seven Commissioners 

 signed a memorandum dissociating themselves from their 

 colleagues on this point, and stating that " out of fifty-four 

 witnesses formally summoned before us only one expressed 

 the opinion unfavourable to compensation, and nearly every 

 one advocated it." The Committee endorsed the recom- 

 mendation of the three Commissioners, .but they demurred 

 to the suggestion that payment of compensation should be 

 charged upon county rates, and that only half should be 

 repaid from Imperial funds. 



With regard to (c), the Commissioners recommended 

 compulsory notification of disease in the udder under a 

 penalty ; they suggested more stringent provisions for 

 inspection and for prohibiting the sale of milk from cows 

 condemned by Veterinary Surgeons. 



The Chamber agreed generally with the recommendations 

 of the Commission for promoting the substitution of public 



