Report of the Departmental Committee appointed by the president of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries to enquire into foot-and-mouth disease.

  • Great Britain. Board of Agriculture and Fisheries. Foot-and-Mouth Disease Committee.
Date:
1912
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Departmental Committee appointed by the president of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries to enquire into foot-and-mouth disease. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    45/370 (page 21)
    25 January 1912. ] (Continued, as hides, hogs, and so on, and that is your idea if that were possible >—Yes. 344. You mention that it would take such a time that it might be expensive and cause demurrage which would be a great inconvenience to trade ?—It might be possible, but I have not gone into that. You might find that that was the case. 345. Supposing you use formalin and spread over the hold; it would not take very many minutes to go over a large portion of the ship, spreading it in that way. Would not that be an effective way of disinfecting the hold 2—You have to consider how far that would be efficacious, and that is really a question rather more for Mr. Stockman than for me. 346. It would depend on the tenacity of life in the germ ?—Yes, and we have been considering anthrax, which has the most tenacious life of all. 347. Still, when you were satisfied that that method of disinfection would be efficacious it would not take very long to do?—It might not. 348. As regards the milk contracts, I am of opinion entirely that there is nothing in it, and as regards the matter of wilful importations of the disease, I do not think there is anything in it, but it has been suggested to me—and no one else has mentioned it—that cases where these outbreaks occurred were at dairy farms where they were running a contract at ruinous prices, owing to the dry summer. Perhaps you will be able to tell us whether that was the case or not. I mean, a man had a contract for supplying so much milk. He had no food for his cows, and the way out of it was as suggested. That is very far-fetched it seems to me, but that would be another reason ?—That occurred in March before the dry summer. The Middlesex out- break occurred on a pig-keeper’s premises in July. It would not apply tothis. TheSussex outbreak occurred in July, but principally amongst sheep on the pastures. It would not apply to that. The Derbyshire outbreak occurred on premises upon which there were one bull, thirty-one cows, and seven calves. I do not know what was the trade. I happened to be away when that occurred, but it does not sound like a case in point. The Somerset outbreak occurred in September. That did occur on a milk-seller’s premises, and he had a milk contract in that particular case. 349. You are satisfied that was a most unlikely reason ?—Most unlikely. 350. (Mr. Field, M.P.) You are of opinion that foot- and-mouth disease is not indigenous to this country at all; that is to say, it cannot arise spontaneously unless it is imported from a foreign country ?—Certainly, as far as 1am entitled to have an opinion on a profes- sional point. 351. What we know as foot-and-mouth disease occurred previously to the importation of any of these foreign animals, or foreign fodder or food; in 1839 I think you said?—That is regarded as the first out- break. 352. Of course this is only ancient history, and I only want to get atthe principle. Have you any record of anything like foot-and-mouth disease having taken place in England before that date ?—No; our earliest record is that the disease was introduced into this country in 1839. 5 353. I happened to know a farmer in Ireland many years ago; there were cases of it in Ireland long before that. However, I cannot substantiate that. Your theory is that foot-and-mouth disease is introduced into this country from foreign countries ?—Yes. 354. By means of hides, fodder, hay and straw? Have you ever thought of the sea-birds’ manure on the marshy places, because I know a gentleman, a veterin- ary surgeon, who is very strong on that? He says he believes the disease can be introduced. As a matter of fact, in your last report for 1911, it came from marsh land P—Yes. 355. Do you think the birds could bring over the ‘disease in the shape of manure on their feet ?—I per- sonally think that a bird could conceivably carry the disease on its foot. Whether it could actually carry it in its manure is a point about which you had better ask Mr. Stockman. 5 Hel ' 356, (Mr. Lane-Fow, M.P.) They might bring it in- their feathers ?—Oh, yes, in the feathers, I think Mr. Field meant that the manure might be infectious. (Mr. Field, M.P.) As regards hides, I quite under- stand the danger of anthrax being introduced by the hides, and probably this Committee hardly realises what that means, because a good many men have died from anthrax through handling these hides when they came into contact with the flesh through a cut or any- thing of that kind. I do not know whether we are precluded by the terms of our reference, but I think we might make some recommendation with regard to anthrax. (Chairman.) I think it is quite right that we should. 357, (Mr. Field, M.P.) And I suggest to the Com- mittee, with the leave of the Chairman, that we should put in something about this anthrax. I do think that whenever hides come from a country where anthrax is prevalent we ought to seek the co-operation of the authorities of the country to have those hides disin- fected, and also the wool of the sheep’s skins before it is allowed to come here >—Yes. 358. Because anthrax is a much more dangerous disease than foot-and-mouth disease?—I am getting probably a little off the beaten track, but at the same time I think it is worthy of notice, because in the first place it is almost immediately fatal to the animal, and in the second place it is communicable to man. Therefore, I think as we are sitting with regard to foot-and-mouth disease, we ought to take some notice. of anthrax. I hope the Chairman will agree with me, and not rule me out of order, (Chairman.) All right. 359, (Mr. Field, M.P.) Now, with regard to packing- straw, has it come under your notice that a case occurred in the Isle of Man, a very peculiar case. They could not find out anything about it, although your inspec- tors made inquiries ?—A case of what, sir ? 360. A case of foot-and-mouth disease?—In the Isle of Man? 361. Yes.—What year ? 362. Rather recently. I have not the date, but I will get it for you, and they found out nothing about it. At last, after the inquiry was over, this man, who was one of the principal men in the Island, found out from the people on the farm that the straw came in packing with some furniture, and was used for the cattle, and immediately after they had an outbreak of the disease —I was not aware that there had been an autbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the Isle of Man within recent years. 363. I was so informed the other day. Have you any jurisdiction in the Isle of Man. Of course, I do not know whether they are going to get Home Rule in the Isle of Man, but I am not aware whether your in- spectors go to the Isle of Man or not?—No. Our inspectors do not go to the Isle of Man; we have no jurisdiction over the Isle of Man. 364. I will find out the facts ?—I do not think a case of foot-and-mouth disease could have been in the Isle of Man during recent years without coming to the knowledge of the Board of Agriculture. 365. I would not put my knowledge against yours. With regard to the peat-moss litter. Have you thought whether peat-moss litter would be a means of intro- ducing infection ?—It is one of the possible means that have been suggested, but it has never seemed to me a very likely means when you consider the kind of place it comes from. 366. It is used for horses and cows from Germany a great deal; Germany is a hot-bed of the disease now, to a certain extent, and we ought to consider it. Peat is an antiseptic, and it ought not to carry disease, but it has been suggested to me by a very experienced man that the question ought to be considered by this Com- mittee... ?—Is it not a fact that the peat for this purpose does not come from the surface of the soil, but from the lower soil? The chance that it will be infected, I should have thought, was very small. 567. It depends upon the kind of bog it is taken from. With regard to sheep’s heads, trotters of calves and skins in Ireland, we never import any of those at all. There may be a few calves imported, but that avenue of inducing disease does. not exist in Ireland at B3