§ 52. Mr. C. BATHURSTasked the President of the Board of Agriculture if it is with the approval of the Board that in some counties, although under the provisions of the Tuberculosis Order of 1913 the tuberculin test cannot be applied by the veterinary officer of the local authority in the case of any bovine animal except with the consent of its owner, such officers are seeking to compel such consent by suspending the supply of milk from a suspected animal pending such consent being given; and, if not, whether he will take steps to put a stop to this practice?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANThe practice to which the hon. Member refers is not justified by any provision of the Tuberculosis Order, 1040 1913. I was not aware until I saw this question on the Paper that it existed, and I have no reason to believe that it is general. If the hon. Member will tell me which counties he has in mind, I will communicate with the local authorities concerned.
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that a communication upon this subject has been addressed to his Department?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANNo, Sir. The first intimation I had of the question was when it was put upon the Paper by the hon. Gentleman.
§ 53. Mr. C. BATHURSTasked whether in certain West of England counties some of the persons appointed as veterinary officers for the purposes of the Tuberculosis Order of 1913 have confessed their ignorance of the microscopic appearance of the bacillus of tuberculosis and their consequent inability in certain cases to identify the disease; and whether, under these circumstances, the Board will, in the interests both of stock owners and the consuming public, issue to the local authorities for the use of their veterinary officers a printed description of the disease containing a pictorial representation of its bacillus?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI am informed that a veterinary surgeon in the West of England recently stated that he could not recognise the bacillus of tuberculosis. For the benefit of veterinary surgeons who have duties to perform under the Tuberculosis Order, the Royal Veterinary College has arranged a series of fourteen-day courses of lectures, which, I understand, are well attended, and I trust that the gentleman referred to will avail himself of this opportunity to improve his knowledge of bovine tuberculosis. There is already an abundance of illustrated literature on the subject, and it is unnecessary for the Board to add to it.
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that, so far as the acting inspectors of the local authorities are concerned, there is a large number of veterinary surgeons who have not a sufficient bacteriological knowledge to recognise the appearance of this bacillus?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANWherever the officials of the local authorities find their knowledge defective, I understand they are taking steps to repair that defect by attending the Royal Veterinary College.
§ Mr. KILBRIDEIs it not a fact that some of the veterinary surgeons last year were not able to detect the disease known as pseudo-pneumonia owing to their ignorance upon this point?