Mr. EVANSasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that 37 cows from one cowshed in the East of London have recently had to be destroyed because they were suffering from foot-and-mouth disease; what steps have been taken to trace the origin of the outbreak of the disease in this district; and what is the result of such investigations?
§ Major BARNSTONI have been asked to reply. The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. Inquiries, which were made by the Ministry's inspector who dealt with this outbreak, failed to discover a definite origin of infection. The outbreak can only be explained at present on the supposition that someone who tended the cattle in question had unwittingly been in contact with infection at one of the markets through which diseased cattle had passed, and thus had transferred the virus.
Mr. EVANSasked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that a large number of cows in East London were recently found to be suffering from foot-and-mouth disease; and whether he has caused any inquiries to be made to ascertain whether any injurious effect to human beings has followed the drinking of the milk of those cows?
§ Sir A. MONDYes, Sir. My attention was drawn to this matter at the time of the outbreak, and inquiries were at once made by an officer of my Department, in conjunction with the medical officer of health of the district. The supply of milk was stopped as soon as the outbreak was discovered, and the medical officer of health reports that though he has made careful inquiries there is no evidence that 425W any ill-effects have been caused by the consumption of milk previously given by the herd in question.