§ MR. CHAPLIN (Lincolnshire, Sleaford)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture, in reference to the statement as to the lungs of the Canadian cattle sent to the Board of Agriculture for examination by the Inspectors at the ports, how many suspicions cases, apart from the case of the animal lauded from the Lake Winnipeg, have been sent up altogether by the Inspectors since the examination commenced; at what dates, from what cargoes, and by which of the Inspectors were they sent; and were the Veterinary Authorities of the Department unanimous in their opinion as to the character of the lungs?
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD of AGRICULTURE (Mr. H. GARDNER,) Essex, Saffron WaldenIn addition to the case to which the right hon. Gentleman refers, the lungs of five animals have been sent up by the Veterinary Inspectors at the ports for examination since the special inspection of the lungs of Canadian cattle commenced. In the first case, the animal arrived at Liverpool by the Numidian, and the lungs were sent up on the 9th ultimo; in the second, the animal arrived at Deptford by the Brazilian, the lungs being sent up on the 29th ultimo; in the third, the animal was landed at Liverpool from the Lake Winnipeg, the lungs being sent up on the 29th ultimo; in the fourth, the animal arrived at Deptford by the Storm King, the lungs being forwarded on the 30th ultimo; and in the fifth case the animal arrived by the Lake Superior, the lungs being sent up on the 1st instant. With reference to the concluding inquiry made by the right hon. Gentleman, I would observe that in regard to all questions of diagnosis I necessarily act, as he is aware, upon the advice of the Chief Officer of the Veterinary Department; but I have no reason to suppose that the opinion of that officer, in any of the cases in question, is different from that of his professional assistants.
§ MR. CHAPLINMay I ask whether any of these cases of suspicious lungs were cases which, if they had been found to exist among English cattle, would have in the ordinary course led to the slaughter of the animals without hesitation?
§ MR. H. GARDNERI can only repeat the reply I gave the right hon. Gentleman on a former occasion, which was that the result of the special examination to which lungs were subjected has proved satisfactory, except in the case of the animal landed from the steamship Lake Winnipeg.
MR. STAVELEY HILL (Staffordshire, Kingswinford)Can the right hon. Gentleman state from what Province of Canada the cattle came?
§ MR. H. GARDNERI have no information as to that at the present moment.
§ MR. CHAPLINIf there be any further suspicious cases sent up from the ports, will the right hon. Gentleman cause 514 the information to be made public at once?
§ MR. H. GARDNERI am not aware what the practice of the Department has been in the past as to that. I will inquire.