CHAPTER XVI. 



Tuberculosis. 



There was a consensus of opinion from all witnesses 

 examined on the point, as to the success of the several 

 Acts passed to check the various diseases which have 

 caused heavy loss to stock farmers in the past. 



Whatever differences of opinion have been expressed 

 from certain districts of Scotland and the eastern coun- 

 ties as to the restriction on the importation of live cattle, 

 and whatever complaints are made as to special hard- 

 ships in the administration of the Swine Fever Act 

 (Contagious Diseases Animals Act, 1893) the legislative 

 policy of the last few years for the purpose of stamping 

 out disease may be taken as having the substantially 

 unanimous approval of all practical agriculturists.^ 



Important evidence was also laid before the Commis- 

 sion as to the grave losses to agriculturists from tuber- 

 culosis. 



Mr Speir says that it is far more prevalent than sup- 

 posed ; that throughout Ayrshire and Wigtownshire the 

 losses to farmers are enormous, and in themselves sweep 

 away profits. A Wigtownshire farmer lost twenty-three 

 cows out of fifty in a single year, while in many cases a 

 " full stock " has died off in a year or two. 



Mr Speir quotes the opinion of an expert, that there 

 are few stocks free from the disease, and that almost 75 

 per cent, of the cows must be more or less affected. 



The opinion of dealers and veterinary surgeons is, 



' Murray, 5191, 5218, 5403 ; Lopes, 17,090 ; Duke of Richmond, 22,610; 

 Lander, 33,487; Finney, 35,452; Brown, 35,826 ; Pears, 36,343 ; Elliott, 

 37,965; Bowen-Jones, 44,747; Stratton, 6459; Read, 16,297, I5,932, 

 12,207; Hope, 48,418; Hutcheson, 24,436, &c.; Bell, 26,291; Dewar, 

 31,771; Fyshe, 53,925; Ballingall, 54,194 ; Wilkinson, 31,365 ; Stratton. 

 6732-7 ; Johnson, 7882 ; Lipscomb, 20,683. 



