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The Anthrax Order of 1910. 



[NOV., 



rule it will probably be found more satisfactory that tbz work should, 

 as heretofore, be carried out by the officers of the Local Authority. 



To meet certain cases which have been brought to their notice the 

 Board have, however, in their new Order (Article 14 (2)) empowered 

 the Local Authority to require the occupier or the owner himself to 

 carry out the disinfection at the expense of the Local Authority. 

 Where this procedure is followed the Board would suggest that precise 

 instructions should be given to the owner in writing as to the methods 

 of disinfection to be followed, including a description of those parts 

 of the premises to which they are applied, the disinfectant to be used 

 and the solution thereof, and also the materials and labour to be 

 provided, in order that there may be no misunderstanding in connec- 

 tion with the settlement by the Local Authority of the cost of the 

 disinfection after they are satisfied that it has been thoroughly carried 

 out. Arrangements of this character have been adopted by the Board 

 in connection with their administration of the Swine Fever Order, 

 with satisfactory results. 



The Local Authority may, under Article 13 (5) of the Order, recover 

 from the owner of an animal or carcase any portion of the cost of 

 disinfection where that ha«- been increased by his wilful act or neglect. 



Having regard to the characteristics of the disease and the extreme 

 importance of the careful use of all possible precautions against injury 

 to human beings or to animals in suspected cases of anthrax, it is to 

 the public interest that any case of illness amongst animals which 

 suggests the possibility of anthrax being present should be placed 

 at the earliest possible moment under the control of a veterinary 

 surgeon employ-id by the Local Authority concerned. It is only, 

 therefore, in cases where a veterinary surgeon, acting on behalf of an 

 owner of a sick animal, has satisfied himself that neither the history 

 of the case nor any external lesions in the carcase of a dead animal 

 indicate the existence of anthrax, that he would be justified in taking 

 a sample of the blood or other fluid or tissue from such a carcase for 

 the purpose of microscopical examination. In view of the importance 

 of this matter (he Board trust that members of the veterinary profes- 

 sion will carefully conform to this view, and thus assist the authorities 

 in their efforts to combat this disease. 



In issuing the new Order the Board desire to lay stress upon the 

 fact that anthrax is a disease against which it is not practicable 

 entirely to guard on account of the multiplicity of the channels through 

 which infection may be conveyed. Although the eradication of the 

 disease cannot be aimed at, it is possible to bring it more under 

 control. It is believed that the new Order will be of service in secur- 

 ing the collection of more trustworthy statistics to form a basis upon j 

 which to build up any other measures which further experience may 

 indicate as likely to reduce the risk of infection, and the Board are 

 satisfied that they may rely upon the co-operation of the agricultural 

 community in carrying the new arrangements into effect. 

 I am, Sir, your obedient servant, 



T. H. Elliott, 



Secretary. 



