248 



Report of the Animals' DivisiON. [july, 



movement of swine and the compulsory dipping of sheep for 

 sheep-scab. In regard to the last-mentioned disease, it is 

 pointed out that the outlook is at present hopeful, and that 

 there is a good prospect of eliminating sheep-scab entirely 

 witliin a reasonable time. 



With regard to glanders, the question of granting a contri- 

 bution from the Exchequer towards the expenditure which 

 would be involved by the slaughter, with compensation, of all 

 horses reacting to the mallein test has again been under the 

 consideration of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury in 

 connection with the Departmental Estimates for the coming 

 financial year, but it has not been found possible to provide the 

 necessary funds in the Board's vote for the present, at any rate. 

 In any future Order relating to this disease which the Board 

 may find themselves in a position to make, it is contemplated 

 that provisions shall be included regulating the movement of 

 contact horses and the application, with the consent of the 

 owner of the animal, of the mallein test to horses suspected of 

 glanders, or which may have been in contact with diseased 

 horses, and for the payment of compensation for horses 

 slaughtered on account of definite reaction to the test, the 

 amount of compensation payable in each case being dependent 

 upon the results of a post-mortem examination conducted with 

 a view to ascertaining whether or not the horse so slaughtered 

 was in fact diseased at the time of slaughter. The owner of 

 the horse or his representative would have a right secured to 

 him of being present at such examination. 



The number of outbreaks of anthrax reported in the year 

 1905 was 970, as compared with 1,049 1904. This reduction 

 is, so far as it goes, satisfactory, but the total number of out- 

 breaks still exceeds considerably the totals for any other year 

 since 1887, whilst the number of counties from which anthrax 

 has been reported has risen to the high total of 84, as compared 

 with 77 in 1904. 



The general position as regards anthrax cannot be regarded 

 as otherwise than an unsatisfactory one, and the question of the 

 best method of securing some substantial . reduction in the 

 prevalence of this dangerous disease has naturally been the 

 subject of careful and anxious -consideration. The reports as 



