HC Deb 25 August 1893 vol 16 cc1093-4
MR. MACDONALD

I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture for information as to the particulars of the disease that has broken out among the cattle belonging to Lord Egmont at Midhurst; what number of healthy animals has been killed; and whether the full value of the animals killed has been paid to Lord Egmont? May I further ask whether any recommendations have been issued by the Board of Agriculture as to the mode of slaughtering animals?

MR. LODER

On behalf of the hon. Member for the Horsham Division, I will at the same time ask the right hon. Gentleman if his attention has been called to a very serious outbreak of anthrax near Midhurst, and whether there have recently been other cases in the adjoining part of the County of Surrey; if the Board will cause inquiry to be made into the origin of these cases; if the Board can give any information as to the length of time during which the land or buildings where an outbreak has occurred remain infectious, or as to any mode of disinfecting them; and if the Board have any information to show whether the disease is capable of being transmitted by contact with an infected animal, and at what stage of the disease?

THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (MR. H. GARDNER,) Essex, Saffron Walden

There appears to be no doubt that the disease which has broken out among Lord Egmont's cattle at Midhurst is anthrax. Five animals are reported to have died from it, and the slaughter of 53 cattle and 34 swine which were on the farm has been ordered by the Local Authority, and probably by this time carried out. Under the Anthrax Order of 1892, the compensation payable for the animals ordered to be slaughtered but not affected with anthrax would be their value immediately before they were slaughtered, and where they were affected one-half of their value before they became affected. Perhaps I may be allowed to reply now to the question which the hon. Member for the Horsham Division has placed on the Paper on this subject. I am informed that no cases of anthrax have recently been reported from the particular districts of the County of Surrey to which the hon. Member refers; but the unfortunate increase of the disease in Sussex and in many other parts of the country has recently engaged my close attention It would be impossible for me, with the small veterinary staff at my disposal, to cause inquiry to be made into the origin of every case; but I may say generally that we have reason to believe that the spreading and recrudescence of the disease is not infrequently due to the inadequacy of the measures taken for the disposal of diseased carcases. We propose, therefore, to issue a Circular Letter to Local Authorities on the subject, since it is with those authorities that the duty of dealing with this disease now rests. It would be impossible for me, within the limits of an answer, to make any adequate statement on the matters referred to in the two concluding paragraphs of the question; but we are bound to issue a leaflet on the subject for general information, a copy of which I shall be happy to supply to the hon. Member.

SIR H. FLETCHER (Sussex, Lewes)

May I ask whether the disease has not very seriously increased of late; and whether it is not attended with great risk to human beings as well as to animals?

MR. H. GARDNER

Yes, sir; I am sorry to say the disease has increased of late, and it is attended with danger to human beings. I issued a Circular some time ago pointing out that danger.

MR. MACDONALD

I hope that the right hon. Gentleman will answer the latter part of my question.

MR. H. GARDNER

I am about to issue a Circular upon the subject to the various Local Authorities. I did issue an Order on the anthrax question last December.

MR. MACDONALD

Will the Circular deal with the slaughtering of animals?

MR. H. GARDNER

Yes; that will be so.