STATE HYGIENE 523 



The next important measure is provided by a recent Act 

 ot Parliament. The essence of the system of eradication 

 depends upon curing the disease, and as a cure can be 

 effected by dipping, it is clear that what the Legislature 

 has to provide for, is the effective dipping of all animals in 

 the country. A step has been taken in this direction by 

 the Diseases of Animals Act, 1903, which empowers the 

 Board of Agriculture to make regulations for securing the 

 periodical treatment of all sheep by dipping. As this can 

 only be carried out at certain seasons of the year, the 

 system must be supplemented by the regulation of move- 

 ments and isolation, and it is here the hardship, incon- 

 venience, disorganization of trade, and financial loss direct 

 or indirect, are felt by individuals. 



This, however, must be met ; if owners of sheep fail to 

 keep their flocks free from an easily curable and preventable 

 disease through want of united action, the State must do 

 this for them, and the inconvenience of central control will 

 be experienced by both the careful and the indifferent. 



The compulsory dipping should be carried out under the 

 supervision of trained officers of the Board of Agriculture. 

 Baths of the colonial pattern, which give a long swim, 

 would have to be erected all over the country ; the useful- 

 ness of these would not terminate with the extinction 

 of the disease, for annual dipping should be compulsory, 

 and at the expense of the owner. 



Mr. Hedley, Chief Veterinary Officer of the Irish De- 

 partment, is opposed to compulsory dipping as creating 

 dissatisfaction, but would limit it to affected districts and 

 areas.* 



There are other conditions essential to success. Infected 

 areas if unfenced must be fenced. Outbreaks must be 

 reported on pain of substantial penalties, and no regard 

 should be paid as to whether the outbreak is situated in one 

 county or another, but the whole area should be declared 

 infected, both around the affected place and for a sufficient 

 distance away. Within the affected area the whole of the 

 * Sheep-dipping Committee, 1904. 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



