§ MR. CHAPLINI beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture if he will ascertain, in the cases of the five suspected animals recently landed from Canada from the steamships Numidian, Brazilian, Lake Winnipeg, Storm King, and Lake Superior, whether the veterinary officials of the Department were unanimous in the opinion that none of the lungs were affected with pleuro-pneumonia, for which animals have been or would be slaughtered in the ordinary course in England? I will also ask whether he can now inform the House what decision has been arrived at in the suspected case of pleuro-pneumonia in a Canadian animal landed from the Lake Winnipeg, and with regard to which he was awaiting further information on 3rd June?
§ MR. H. GARDNERThe suggestion of the right hon. Gentleman appears to me to be open to the objections I stated a few days ago, and I cannot agree to do anything which would appear to lessen the responsibility of my chief professional adviser. I am anxious, however, to place those who are interested in this matter in possession of full information regarding the facts of the case, and I may, therefore, say that I understand, on inquiry, that in two of the five cases referred to in the question the indications of disease wore such as would have justified the slaughter of the animals, as a matter of precaution, if those indications had been found in home stock. My veterinary advisers, however, considered it desirable that in a matter in which so much depends upon the correct diagnosis of 1478 disease, the detailed investigation and discussion which were obviously necessary should proceed in a case in which the lesions were clear and unmistakable, and it is to the results obtained in the case of the animal landed from the Lake Winnipeg that I must look for guidance in the matter. With regard to that animal, concerning which the right hon. Gentleman has placed a separate question on the Paper, I would say that the preparation of sections for microscopic examination necessarily takes time, inasmuch as the sections have to be dried with great care. I understand, however, that they are now practically ready, and that a full report respecting them will be in my hands in the course of a few days.
§ MR. CHAPLINMay I ask whether it is not very unusual that so long a time should be required to ascertain whether the disease is pleuro-pneumonia or not? Is there any precedent for it taking a month to decide?
§ MR. H. GARDNERThis is not an ordinary case. It affects the whole of the Canadian cattle trade with this country, and I have thought it my duty to order an exhaustive examination to be made, so that I may be able to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion.
§ MR. CHAPLINWhen will the right hon. Gentleman be able to put the House in possession of information on the subject?
§ MR. H. GARDNERThe examination must be an exhaustive one, but for the sake of the trade it is necessary that it should be concluded in a short time, and I will then make a statement; but, in the meantime, I think premature questions on the subject are unsatisfactory.