§ MR. KEARLEY (Devonport)I beg to ask the hon. Member for North Huntingdonshire as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware that glanders among horses and men has been more than usually prevalent during the past year; and, if so, can he say whether the Returns show a considerable increase generally over those of twenty years ago; and whether the Department intend, under the circumstances, to carry out the recommendations made four years since by a Departmental Committee.
§ * MR. AILWYN FELLOWES (Huntingdonshire, Ramsey)There has recently been some increase in the number of cases of glanders reported, 795 outbreaks having occurred in the first twenty-nine weeks of the present year as compared with 641 in the corresponding period of 1902. The disease is one, however, which has always been subject to considerable fluctuations, and it was not more prevalent last year than it has been on several occasions since it was first scheduled in 1877. The number of deaths from glanders amongst men have varied from six in 1889 and 333 1897 to one in 1896. The inquiry to which the hon. Member refers was necessarily followed by further scientific investigations as to the communicability of the disease and the effects of the application of mallein. The Report of those investigations has been received, and we are now in communication with the local authorities principally concerned with a view to ascertain to what extent it may be practicable to give effect to the recommendations of the Departmental Committee.