TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION I. 537 
fair success ; but in the case of this disease we cannot expect to get as good results 
as in the case of Redwater. The species of tick which conveys Texas Fever remains 
on the same animal through all its moults, instead of falling to the ground after 
each different one. If it isnot possible to spray or dip cattle oftener than once in 
ten or fifteen days, it is evident that ticks may crawl upon such animals, become 
infected, and drop off every three or four days, and so escape destruction by the 
dipping solution. At the same time every infected tick that is killed by spraying 
or dipping operations is a source of infection destroyed. 
Fencing of Farms.—Again, the fencing of farms must also be useful in the 
same direction. As the ticks do not travel to any extent when they fall among 
the grass, it is evident that the cattle on a clean farm which is properly fenced 
will not become infected by this disease, although all the country round about 
should be infected. This fencing of farms and subdividing the farm itself into 
several portions is a most important factor in the prevention of contagious 
diseases amongst stock. It is, of course, impossible that this can be done at once, 
as the expense would be prohibitive. 
Moving Cattle from Infected Pasture to Clean Pasture.—F¥rom a study of this 
disease and a study of the life-history of the tick it-is evident that by a com- 
bination of dipping or spraying the cattle so as to destroy almost all the ticks, 
slaughtering the sick, and moving the apparently healthy on to clean veld—and 
repeating this, if necessary, a second or third time—it is obvious that by these 
means, if circumstances are favourable, an outbreak of this disease may be nipped 
in the bud without much loss to the stock. 
Stamping out the Disease——In May 1904, an inter-Colonial Conference held 
at Cape Town resolved that the only effective method of eradicating Kast Coast 
Fever is to kill off all the cattle in the infected areas, and to leave such areas free 
of cattle for some eighteen months. By this means all the centres of infection 
would be destroyed, and at the end of eighteen months, as all the infected ticks 
would be dead, it is evident that the disease would be completely stamped out. 
There is no doubt that this drastic method would be the quickest and most com- 
plete one of getting rid of this extremely harassing disease. If compensation were 
given, it could be done at a cost of, say, a quarter of a million, The Government 
decided, however, that on aceount of the difficulty of carrying out such a drastic 
scheme another policy had to be considered. This policy provides for the fencing- 
in of infected farms, places, lands, or roads, on generous terms; the compulsory 
slaughter of stock with compensation in the case of isolated outbreaks; the 
removal of all oxen from infected or suspected farms; and, lastly, the stabling of 
milch cows in infected areas, It is quite evident that under this less drastic policy 
the final stamping-out of the disease will be a much slower process than if the more 
drastic scheme of compulsory slaughter of all cattle on infected areas had been 
carried out. The benefits, however, from the modified scheme are undoubted ; 
and if carried out thoroughly and intelligently for a period cf several years will 
probably result in the stamping-out of the disease. 
Allow me to sum up in regard to the advance in our knowledge of this 
important stock disease during the last ten years. Ten years ago nothing was 
known. Now the causation of the disease bas been made out very fully; the’ 
parasite that causes it is known; the ticks which carry the infection are known. 
Although no method of conferring immunity on healthy cattle has been found out, 
or any medicinal treatment discovered which will cure the sick animal, yet our 
knowledge of the life-history of the parasite and the tick’s enables regulations to 
be framed which, if patiently carried out, must be crowned with success. 
2. Redwater or Texas Fever. 
I may dismiss this disease in a few words. It is a most interesting disease and 
of great importance to stock farmers. It only affects cattle. 
Geographical Distribution.—It is a disease found in almost every part of the 
world. It was first studied in North America; hence the name Texas Fever. 
To Kilborne and Smith is due the honour of elucidating the causation of this 
disease, and their work forms one of the most interesting chapters in the history of 
