1909.] 



Report on Diseases of Animals. 



393 



The year 1908 was an unfavourable one not only for the 

 growers but also for the merchants, and the Report refers to 

 the depression prevailing in the brewing trade in Germany, 

 which naturally has an unfavourable effect on the hop 

 industry. The prospects for 1909 are, therefore, regarded as 

 unsatisfactory. 



The action taken by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries 

 during 1908 under the Diseases of Animals Acts is described 

 in the Annual Reports [Cd. 4592. 

 Report on Diseases Price is.] prepared by the Chief Veteri- 

 of Animals. nary Officer (Mr. S. Stockman) and by 



the Assistant Secretary (Mr. A. W. 



Anstruther, C.B.). 



Mr. Stockman's report, which deals with the experiments 

 and investigations which have been conducted in connection 

 with various diseases, refers to the circumstances attending 

 the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Edinburgh in 

 February, 1908. In connection with this outbreak, an in- 

 teresting and important point was raised as to the length of 

 time the virus of the disease could remain infective. 



The only material upon which suspicion rested as the source 

 of the disease was a small consignment of hay imported from 

 Holland. This hay was brought into contact with the animals 

 of the first outbreak on January 29th. Four days afterwards 

 one animal was observed to be ailing, and on the sixth day 

 after the hay was introduced 30 to 40 showed unmistakeable 

 symptoms of Foot-and-Mouth Disease — that is to say, within 

 the recognised incubative period of the disease. Admitting 

 that infection was imported in the hay, Mr. Stockman 

 remarks that the above circumstances must alter the generally 

 accepted ideas regarding the time that the virus of Foot-and- 

 Mouth Disease may retain its virulence in practice. 



It has been generally observed that new animals may be 

 put in association with others which have recovered from the 

 disease after two or three weeks, and that it is only excep- 

 tionally that the former contract Foot-and-Mouth Disease. 

 Experimentally it has been found that the virus becomes 

 inactive if dried in sunlight during twenty-four hours. It has 

 also been observed, however, that if pure lymph be kept in 

 the ice chest and away from the sunlight — that is to say, 



