§ * SIR A. ROLLITI beg to thank the President of the Board of Agriculture for his attendance here to-day, as the matter is an urgent one, and to ask him whether it was with the knowledge and sanction of the Department that, in consequence of a single animal being found to be affected with pleuro-pneumonia in the Metropolitan Cattle Market at Islington on Monday last, the market was immediately closed, and the whole of the 600 or 700 cattle in the market and lairs wore prevented from leaving; would he explain the necessity for taking the above step, and so inflicting serious loss and inconvenience on large numbers of people; and, in view of the fact that it had been known for some few weeks past that pleuro-pneumonia existed in several cow-sheds, would he explain why the removal of animals into the market was nor prohibited except upon an order of the Inspector?
§ * THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. H. GARDNER,) Essex, Saffron WaldenOn Monday last it was ascertained that an animal which had been exposed in the Metropolitan Cattle Market on that day had been suffering from pleuro-pneumonia in an advanced stage, and thereupon steps were taken to prevent the cattle in the market from leaving until a licence for their removal to a slaughter-house was obtained. This course was adopted in order to prevent the possibility of the spread of infection; and although I much regret that the necessity for it should have arisen, I feel bound to do everything in my power to prevent the recrudescence of a disease which we have done so much to try to stamp out. We are not aware of the fact to which the hon. Gentleman refers in the concluding paragraph of his question, and if he has any information on the point we should be very glad to receive it.
§ * SIR A. ROLLITMay I ask a supplementary question? It is, whether, in the opinion of the Board of Agriculture, pleuro-pneumonia, as distinguished from foot-and-mouth disease, can be spread unless the animals are in some enclosed place and not in the open air?
§ * MR. H. GARDNERIn our opinion, pleuro-pneumonia can be spread by contact with a diseased animal. In this case it is exceedingly likely—in fact, it is absolutely certain—that the animal had been in contact with some of the other animals in the market, and therefore it was necessary, in order to prevent the spread of the disease, to take the action I have indicated.
§ SIR A. ROLLITIs there any intention of closing the market?
§ * MR. H. GARDNERNo; as I stated yesterday, there is no intention of closing the market.