§ COLONEL NORTHsaid, he wished to ask the Vice-President of the Committee of Council, Whether it is true that a severe attack of Smallpox has broken out among the sheep in Schleswig-Holstein; and if so, whether it is proposed to take steps to prevent the importation of sheep from that country?
§ LORD ROBERT MONTAGUreplied that official information had been received of an outbreak of smallpox in sheep in Schleswig-Holstein, whence we were re- 1829 ceiving upwards of 2,000 sheep per week. An Order of Her Majesty in Council might prohibit the importation from that country, but it was feared that the sheep would still come through some of the Dutch or Belgian ports. Extra inspection had, however, been ordered, but as the disease had a period of incubation of eight days, during which it was impossible to detect that the animals were infected, this did not appear to be any security against diseased animals getting into the country. A quarantine of ton days offered more security, but it must be general, and this would be hard on importers of healthy sheep from uninfected parts of the country. The Privy Council were carefully watching the matter in order to take immediate steps to check the importation of the disease should it appear to warrant severe measures.