1907.] 



Diseases of Animals Acts. 



171 



had to be abandoned temporarily owing to the pressing and 

 immediate demands of the inquiry into epizootic abortion, which 

 have to be almost exclusively attended to at the moment 

 material is found available for further research. Enough has, 

 however, been done to justify a report on swine-fever on the 

 lines mentioned in his report for 1905, and an attempt will be 

 made to present it as soon as possible. 



A considerable amount of work in connection with the 

 diagnosis in suspected outbreaks of anthrax, epizootic lymphan- 

 gitis, sheep-scab, and rabies, had also been undertaken at the 

 laboratory. 



The Report of the Assistant Secretary, Mr. A. W. Anstruther, 

 deals with the administrative measures taken under the Acts 

 for the extirpation of the scheduled diseases. In explaining 

 the operations undertaken in connection with the dipping of 

 sheep, Mr. Anstruther observes that the universal compulsory 

 dipping, which has been strongly advocated in many quarters, 

 is about to become an accomplished fact. Special attention 

 is drawn to the fact that periodical compulsory dipping, 

 although a very valuable adjunct to other sanitary measures 

 cannot properly be relied upon for the eradication of sheep-scab. 

 It is to the thorough and careful administration of the Sheep- 

 Scab Order of 1905 in the case of every reported outbreak that 

 those concerned with the administration must look for the attain- 

 ment of the object that they have in view. It is clear that in the 

 dipping to order of a sheep-stock of over 25,000,000, failures to 

 dip thoroughly must at first at any rate be of comparatively 

 frequent occurrence. As years go by they will probably become 

 more and more rare, but for the present it would be folly to place 

 much dependence upon compulsory dipping as a substantial safe- 

 guard against sheep-scab. Danger lies in the possibility that 

 some flockmasters may incline to place undue reliance upon the 

 existence of the requirement of compulsory dipping, and in 

 consequence may omit to take all the precautions they would 

 otherwise insist upon when introducing fresh animals into their 

 flocks. In proportion as this occurs the Compulsory Dipping 

 Orders will have a positively detrimental effect upon the general 

 operations against sheep-scab. Those interested will do well, 

 'therefore, to take note of this possible source of failure. It is 

 further to be feared that some sheep-owners may be led by the 



