HOOFED ANIMALS u 



follows from the above that an infected tick in any of 

 its stages, by biting a wild animal, thereby frees itself from 

 the disease, and is thenceforth harmless. Thus, so far 

 from being dangerous factors in the spread of east coast 

 fever, game are, in all probability, direct cleansing agents, 

 and, equally with sheep, goats, or horses, may perform 

 useful work in clearing a ground, whereon diseased cattle 

 have been pastured, of the infected ticks. 



In the case of biliary fever, if game harbour the germs, 

 so equally do many of the domestic animals of a country. 

 Sir Arnold Theiller writes of this matter : 



" When we say that biliary fever affects equines, we 

 must make a reservation in stating that the South African 

 animal born and bred in the veld when grown up, is 

 not liable to suffer from the disease, it only does so under 

 special conditions. The chief sufferer is the animal bred 

 in the stable of a town, or imported from oversea, say 

 from England or America, where the disease is unknown. 

 We must remember, therefore, that the animal born in 

 the veld is immune. .' . . An animal which has recovered 

 from this disease retains the affection in its blood, and 

 probably if remaining exposed in the veld remains an 

 infectious agent to the end of its life." 



From the foregoing, therefore, it seems evident that 

 no stronger case can be made out against game in regard 

 to biliary fever than in the case of the east coast disease, 

 for in order absolutely to protect the relatively few town- 

 bred and imported animals from it, it would be necessary 

 to kill off not only all the wild animals, but the greater 

 part of the domestic ones also. 



The clamour, indeed, for legislation involving the 

 wholesale destruction of game, on the pretext that it is a 

 standing menace to the existence of stock, is in great 

 measure an artificial one, based, it must be feared, a 



