§ Mr. Thorneasked the Home Secretary whether foreign hides imported are required to be registered on entering this country; whether he is aware that a man working at Messrs. Waring, Warrington, died after contracting anthrax from skins that he had been handling which were known as water-buffalo but their source could not be given; and whether he intends taking any action in the matter?
§ Mr. PeakeI presume the hon. Member is referring to the case of a woman named Lydia Clive. I understand that she had shortly before contracting the disease been handling hides of various kinds, including water buffalo hide from Siam. It is recognised that hides from numerous parts of the world are often infected, and my right hon. Friend is1544W advised that there would be no practical advantage, from the point of view of preventing the disease, in establishing the precise origin of each consignment of hides imported into the country.