§ Mr. CHARLES BATHURSTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture whether he is aware of the serious losses suffered during the last four years by Mr. R. Higgins, of Preston Deanery, and other cattle breeders in the same neighbourhood, owing to the pre-Valence of Johnes disease; whether the expert advisers of the Board have as yet sufficient knowledge of this fatal disease to be able to trace its cause or confidently to recommend remedial or preventive measures; and, if not, whether the Board will institute a special inquiry on the subject in the above district, accompanied by feeding experiments, with the object of obtaining further information about it?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYYes, Sir. Mr. Higgins has been in correspondence with the Chief Veterinary Officer of the Board, but sufficient information about this disease is not available so as to justify the application of remedial or preventive measures by the Board. The subject is being specially inquired into by the Board in conjunction with the Royal Veterinary College, not only as regards this district but the country generally.