§ 54 and 55. Major Beamishasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what study has been made of the degree of success in controlling or eliminating rabies achieved by Governments which require all dogs entering the country to be inoculated against rabies and have no period of compulsory quarantine;
(2) since when, and with what results, experiments have been made in immunising dogs against rabies; what conclusions have been drawn from these experiments; and if he will now announce his intention of revising the present law which requires all dogs entering the country to suffer six months' quarantine.
Mr. AmoryThe results of experiments in other countries over many years into the inoculation of dogs against rabies and of measures to control the disease are studied by my veterinary advisers. Practical experience has shown that, while inoculation can be a reasonably effective control in countries where the disease is endemic, it can by no means be relied upon to confer complete immunity. An expert committee set up by the World Health212W Organisation recently expressed the view that countries now free from rabies should continue to prohibit the import of dogs and cats or subject them to a long period of quarantine, preferably six months, at the port of entry. I am convinced, so far as this country is concerned, that to reduce the quarantine period or to rely on inoculation as an alternative would be an unjustifiable risk.