§ MR. STRACHEY (Somersetshire, S.)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he can state the dates of two recent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in Essex, and whether the second outbreak was traced to the first.
§ *THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE (Mr. HANBURY, Preston)The first outbreak occurred on 5th April, when the veterinary surgeon was called in by the owner. The veterinary surgeon did not satisfy himself that it was a case of foot-and-mouth disease until the evening of 7th April, and the police superintendent declared the cowshed and premises an infected place the same evening. The superintendent of police at Romford telegraphed to us at 8.41 next morning. The owner had sent on 3rd April to Romford market a cow, which it is believed there came in contact with a cow sent from the farm where the second outbreak occurred. The latter on returning to the farm developed foot-and-mouth disease on 10th April.