§ MR. O'SHEE (Waterford, W.)To ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, whether it is generally admitted by veterinary authorities in England that the disease of epizootic lymphangitis was introduced into the United Kingdom by Army horses which returned from active service in South Africa; whether the disease in England was principally confined to Army horses; in how many cases have outbreaks occurred in civilian stables; and whether officers, having horses stabled in barracks in which the disease had appeared, were permitted within a short time after the actual cases of slaughter for the disease to take their horses out of barracks to follow hounds.
(Answered by Sir Edward Strachey.) The Answer to the first part of the hon. Member's Question is in the affirmative. The disease was principally confined to Army horses. Twenty cases have been reported in civilian stables, but in only six cases was the diagnosis confirmed. With regard to the concluding 1511 part of the Question, I am informed by the War Office that they have no knowledge of officers of infected units having hunted their horses.
§ MR. O'SHEETO ask the Secretary of State for War, whether he will state upon what grounds Colonel Blenkinsop, the chief Army veterinary officer in Ireland, has stated that the disease of epizootic lymphangitis had appeared in the city or county of Waterford a considerable time before any case of the disease occurred in Waterford military barracks.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) No such statement can be traced as having been made by the officer in question.
§ MR. O'SHEETo ask the Secretary of State for War whether, as the Reports of the Army Veterinary Department are confidential, he will give the extracts from the Reports, showing that the disease of epizootic lymphangitis is not shown to have been communicated by Army horses at Waterford to civilian horses, but may have been communicated by civilian horses to Army horses.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane. The hon. Member is doubtless aware that it is not possible in this House to quote extracts from Reports without publishing the Reports in full. I am afraid, therefore, that I cannot comply with his request.