ANTHRAX OUTBREAK

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 94, 22 April 1933, Page 12

ANTHRAX OUTBREAK

QUARANTINE IMPOSED

INQUIRY AS TO CAUSE

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) • AUCKLAND, April 21. Reports that cases of anthrax had occurred among cattle ona farm in the North Auckland district were confirmed by Dr. C. J. Keakcs, Director-General of Agriculture, who is visiting Auckland. "After a long period ,of immunity from any»cases of anthrax.in farm animals iii New Zealand," said Dr. Eoakes, "some eases recently occurred on a small farm in the Kaipara district. Immediately the matter became known to the officers of , the live stock division of the Department of Agriculture, it was taken in hand, and a strict quarantine was imposed on the property. . "It seems evident that the steps taken have been successful in preventing further mortality apart from that involved by tho original cases. Anthrax does not spread as easily as:do diseases like pleuro-pneumonia or foot-and-mouth disease, for instance, neither of which is at present in New Zealand. The source of the infection in this case has not yet been completely established. "Cases which occurred in the Dominion nearly thirty years ago were definitely traced to tho use of infected and unsterilisea bone, manure imported from abroad, and as a result a system of inspection and certification at the source of origin of imported bone manure was established with entirely satisfactory results. Anthrax infection can remain in the soil for forty or fifty years and still retain its vitality. ■ The question of what was the originating cause of this last outbreak is now being thoroughly investigated."