STATE HYGIENE 535 



The usual regulations regarding cleansing and disinfection exist, and 

 failure to comply with these imposes the obligation on the local autho- 

 rities, who can recover from the owner. 



The Order is a most enlightened and beneiicial one. 



SWINE FEVER. 



This disease was imported into the United Kingdom 

 about 1858, or a little earlier, and was detected and recog- 

 nised about 1862. From that time up to 1878 it was 

 allowed to run unchecked, while fresh importations of 

 diseased stock were permitted from abroad. 



In 1878 it was included in the Contagious Diseases of 

 Animals Act, by which compulsory destruction of the 

 affected was ordered, with compensation from the local 

 rates, while movements from an infected place were pro- 

 hibited. 



An important question affecting the whole kingdom was 

 again left to the wisdom of the local authorities, with the 

 usual results. In 1879 further powers were given to the same 

 authorities, which made provision for the declaration of 

 infected places, the destruction of in-contacts, and regula- 

 tions regarding the exposure for sale, of swine in fairs and 

 markets. In 1882 still further powers were given local 

 authorities, by which they could prohibit or regulate the 

 movements of swine into their district from any other 

 district. 



In 1884, yielding to the natural objection of local 

 authorities to have their rates saddled with compensation 

 for compulsory destruction, an Order was published which 

 left the destruction of diseased and in-contacts to the dis- 

 cretion of the local authority, and if the latter wished it a 

 Swine Fever infected circle around an infected place could 

 be declared by the Privy Council. In 1885 owing to an 

 alarming increase of disease, attributable to the purchase 

 of swine at fairs and markets, an Order was published which 

 prohibited the sale of swine excepting for slaughter within 

 three days, while sales could only be held on the pre- 

 mises in which the swine for sale had been kept not less 



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