522 VETEEINARY HYGIENE 



spite of the absence of the disease, by which means other 

 parasites, such as the sheep louse, are destroyed. 



The complete eradication from the United Kingdom of 

 scabies in sheep is a matter of time, so numerous are the 

 sources of reinfection. Even if every animal in the 

 country could be twice put through a bath, there is still 

 the risk of reinfection from contaminated pastures, though 

 far less risk than from contaminated sheep. The medica- 

 ment employed in dipping affords for a time a certain 

 amount of protection, which to an extent neutralizes the 

 risk of reinfection from contaminated pastures. All sheep 

 countries recognise that whether sheep are or are not 

 affected with scabies, an annual ' dip ' is essential, and in 

 this way after eradication the chances of further infection 

 are greatly minimized. 



There can be no doubt of the magnitude of the proposed 

 task to eradicate scabies from the United Kingdom ; in 

 point of size and numbers to be dealt with, it cannot be 

 compared with Australia, but the density of the population, 

 its urgent demands, its old non -progressive sternly con- 

 servative spirit of opposition to all restrictions and freedom 

 of movement, will give far more trouble than the dipping 

 of twenty-five and a half million sheep, which practically 

 represents its ovine population. 



Yet the problem has to be faced, and within recent years 

 the Legislature has paved the way by the introduction of 

 some measures of the utmost importance : 



1. The slaughter of all foreign sheep at the port of 



landing. 



2. The powers given to local authorities to make agree- 



ments between themselves regarding the uniting of 

 their districts, so as to form one large district in 

 which uniform regulations may be enforced. 



These are two most important conditions; infection from 

 without is prevented, and districts or areas can be created, 

 where simultaneous action can be adopted, and in which 

 • local conditions and systems are probably closely allied. 



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