1920.] 



Precautions against Cattle Plague. 



689^ 



Examination of Live Bees suspected of Disease. It is nut 



generally known that arrangements exist at the Ministry's Bee Disci-. 

 Investigation Department for the examination of live bees suspeeted of 

 disease. Bee-keepers who wish to have bees examined should pack them in 

 accordance with the instructions given on the prescribed form, Xo. 13.H.C, 

 which can be obtained from County Education Committees, and should 

 answer fully the questions regarding the history of the stock from which 

 suspected bees were taken. Bees for examination should be sent to Dr. Helen 

 Goodrich, The Department of Comparative Anatomy, University Museum, 

 Oxford. The Ministry desires to emphasise the fact that live bees only are 

 of any use for purposes of microscopical examination, as decay sets in very 

 rapidly after the bees have died. 



Precautions against Cattle Plague.— The Ministry announces that, 

 owing to the appearance of Cattle Plague or Rinderpest in Belgium, an Order 

 will come into effect immediately by which cattle, sheep, goats and swine 

 from Belgium will not be permitted to enter British ports in future, whether 

 as ships' stores or otherwise. Similar restrictions also apply to these animals 

 when carried on vessels touching at Belgian ports en route to Great Britain, 

 irrespective of whether the animals were actually shipped at a Belgian port 

 or not. Hitherto, the above animals were permitted under certain circum- 

 stances to enter a British port, provided they were not landed and that the 

 ship carrying them did not discharge or load cargo. 



Importation from Belgium is also prohibited of feeding stuffs for animals 

 (including milling offals, meals, cakes, <fec.) and also of the following animal 

 products, viz., wet hides, hoofs, horns, bones, hair of bovine animals, dried 

 blood, beef and pork. This prohibition applies to all such products, not only 

 of Belgian origin but to those which may be brought through Belgium l>y river, 

 canal or otherwise from any adjoining country. From the start the Belgian 

 Authorities have themselves prohibited the export of many of these materials, 

 but it is thought advisable to provide against the possibility of premature 

 removal of this prohibition by an Order prohibiting importation. Any of these 

 products which are brought into a Belgian port by sea for the purposes of 

 transhipment to Great Britain may, however, be landed in this country if 

 accompanied by a licence granted by a British Consul at the port of tranship- 

 ment in Belgium on the production to the Consul of satisfactory evidence that 

 the articles have been taken into a Belgian port by sea solely for the purposes 

 of transhipment. 



The Ministry at the same time again calls attention to the possible 

 risk of the introduction of Cattle Plague as well as of Foot-and-Mouth Disease 

 by means of hay and straw used at the time of importation as a packing for 

 foreign imported goods. Numerous imported articles, such as eggs, glass and 

 pottery, are packed in hay or straw and a large portion of this packing may 

 ultimately reach the farm as manure. This hay and straw constitutes a 

 possible source of risk of the introduction of disease to the farm live stock. 

 While the Ministry does not see its way to prohibit the use of this material 

 as packing for imported goods owing to the serious dislocation which 

 would result to trade, it is important that all concerned should be warned that 

 there is at least an element of risk which can be completely avoided by not 

 allowing it to come in contact with any animals. 



