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As agents in spreading the disease the Malay buffaloes are less 
important than the bullocks, because they so rapidly become seriously 
affected and incapable of travel, and also on account of the shorter duration 
of their illness. 
As regards both early notification of disease and knowledge of transfers 
of cattle much more supervision of the cattle sheds than is at present 
possible is necessary. Whether this is done by a Veterinary Police Force, 
by more numerous Veterinary Inspectors, or in what other way is, of course, 
an administrative matter, but it is essential that such supervision should 
be exercised habitually and not spasmodically on the occasion of an 
epidemic. 
The Veterinary Staff for the two States, Selangor, 3,200 square miles, 
and Negri Sembilan, 2,600 square miles, consists of one Veterinary 
Surgeonfor the two States. There is also one native Veterinary Inspector 
for Selangor. . 
The assistance of Sanitary Inspectors, Hospital Dressers, etc., can 
sometimes be obtained when there is any outbreak of disease, and others 
can under the same circumstances be engaged as temporary watchmen. 
For practical purposes so small a skilled staff supplemented by unskilled 
auxiliaries is less efficient than a large trained staff would be, and in the long 
run less economical. 
A system of registration of cattle and of the owners of cattle would 
enable an outbreak to be rapidly suppressed. This system if applied only 
to cattle and not to buffaloes would not be difficult to enforce and would 
enable any transfers to be followed. With such a system branding of the 
horns of adult cattle low down would probably be required. 
If any fee were charged for such registration it should be small, as the 
object would not be for revenue but for the protection of cattle and their 
owners. . , c 
With any effective provision for early information of disease and ot 
transfers from diseased herds I am of opinion that no serious spread of 
Rinderpest would take place even if the disease were frequently imported. 
To deal with an outbreak rigid isolation of all diseased and certain 
contacts is necessary. The question of shooting such animals is raised with 
each outbreak and must be decided on according to circumstances. In the 
Kwala Lumpur outbreak the matter was considered. The Veterinary 
Surgeon was then away at Kwala Selangor dealing with the outbreak thei e, 
and in his absence my opinion was taken by the acting Health Officer. 
I decided against shooting either the diseased or contacts on the grounds 
that these animals could be satisfactorily isolated and spread of the disease 
from them prevented for the future, and that as the animals had been ill for 
some days probably infection had already been spread. 1 hat further 
outbreaks were probable and that the effect of shooting these convalescent 
animals would be to discourage the early notification of the disease foi 
which we hoped. Our hopes were not fulfilled to any great extent, as few 
outbreaks were notified early, but as events showed shooting these animals 
would not have prevented or limited the outbreak. 
The question of compensation for the destruction of animals is a 
difficult one. No doubt if full compensation were given for the destruction 
of animals earlier voluntary notification would take place, but I do not think 
that payment of compensation would make people more careful in prevent¬ 
ing the spread of the disease, the expense to the State would be great, and 
