1908.] 



Official Circulars and Notices. 



i43 



The Board have addressed the following Circular letter, 

 dated the 27th April, 1908, to Local Authorities in Great 

 Britain under the Diseases of Animals 

 Circular Letter as to Acts : — 

 Swine Fever. sir, 



I am directed by the Board of Agriculture and 

 Fisheries to forward to you herewith copies of the Swine Fever Order of 1908, and 

 of the Swine Fever (Regulation of Movement) Order of 1908, together with 

 Memoranda explaining the differences between the new Orders and those they 

 supersede. 



The Board have for some time past been of opinion that some alteration of 

 procedure in their operations against Swine Fever had become necessary, and have 

 only awaited the outcome of certain experiments which have been conducted by their 

 Veterinary Officers before deciding upon the precise course to be adopted. 



It will be noted that whilst the principle of the existing Orders has been preserved 

 in the new Orders, certain modifications of the present requirements have be<-n made, 

 which it is hoped will in a large measure give relief to the breeders and fev ders of 

 swine, and also to butchers, from whom representations have from time to time been 

 received as to inconvenience and loss which in certain circumstances have been 

 experienced by them in connection with their business. 



The Swine Fever Order of 1908. — The procedure on premises on which Swine 

 Fever has been detected has been revised so as to allow of some differentiation of 

 treatment between diseased or suspected swine, and those which exhibit no symptoms 

 of the disease and are not housed in sties in which disease has been detected. The 

 movement of the latter off the premises direct to a slaughter-house will be facilitated, 

 and in special cases of necessity movement of swine on to the premises, except into 

 the infected part, can be authorised by a licence of an Inspector of the Board. 



It is clear that the results to be expected from the operation of the new Order 

 must depend, not only upon the provisions it actually contains, but upon the action 

 taken under the direction of the Board as regards the isolation or the slaughter of 

 swine in sties in which diseased pigs are or have been kept, and in ihis connection 

 I am to acquaint you, for the information of your Local Authority, that, with a view 

 to expedite the eradication of the disease from the premises, 'he Board contemplate 

 ordering the slaughter, with compensation, of all breeding stock on the premises 

 likely to be a source of dagger if kept for the purpose of continuing breeding. 



The Swine Fever {Regulation of Movement) Order of 1908. — This Order which, 

 as. "explained in the M morandum thereon, supersedes the Swine Fever (Infected 

 Areas) Order of 1902 and the Swine Fever (Regulation of Movement) Order of 1903, 

 has been drawn with the two-fold object of harmonising the procedure under those 

 two Orders, and of simplifying, as far as possible, the conditions attaching to the 

 movement of swine for slaughter. 



In Part II. the main provisions of the Swine Fever (Infected Areas) Order are 

 embodied with certain modifications. It is believed that the adoption of this course 

 will be attended by considerable advantage from the point of view not only of the 

 Board but of Local Authorities with whom the administration of the Order rests. 

 The forms of licence and declaration are applicable, not only to movement from one 

 scheduled area to another, but also to movement into, out of, or within an Infected 

 Area, and the fact that these forms will be ready at hand w. ill obviate the necessity 

 for allowing so long an interval of time to elapse before bringing the more stringent 

 movement restrictions into effect when occasion arises. Such inconvenience and 

 complication as sometimes arise, owing to the differing requirements of the existing 

 Orders, will be avoided, and a reduction in the expense entailed on Local Authorities 

 where an Infected Area is made will be secured. 



The modifications embodied in the new Orders, especially those in respect of 



