Rabbit Extermination.

Evening Star, Issue 7449, 18 February 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

Rabbit Extermination.

Mr Girling Butcher, of St. Albans, who is a brother of Dr Butch sr, of New South Wales, who lias been experimenting, furnishes the ‘ Press ’ with the following details The disease was first observed by Dr Butcher, who has been experimenting in the matter for some considerable time. On October 12, ISS7, permission was grunted to him, in conjunction with Dr Ellis, of Double Bay, Sydne3 r , by Mr Abigail, Minister of Mines, to experiment on a netting-enclosed section in tiie Darling River district, of upwards of ">OO acres in extent, which is reported by the Rabbit Inspector to be one of the worst infected runs in New South Wales, and also one of the most difficult to clear, being lignum creeks with box flats, sand hills, and river bed full of creeks and holes. The first inoculated rabbits were ear marked, and turned out on October 29 amongst sheep, goats, horses, and cattle, with surprisingly fatal effects on the teeming thousands of rabbits within the fence. It has been found that tiie disease is fatal within three weeks on the greater portion of tiie rabbits. By experiment the results show that in a smaller enclosure in which trials were conducted, seven out of 460 did not succumb, but thac even this small percentage of recoveries were rendered barren and incapable of further harm by the action of the disease. Of the stock running amongst the infected rabbits, some of each kind were inoculated by Mr Stanley, the Government Veterinary Inspector, and also by the scientists conducting the experiments, and with the result that a 1! the observers were satisfied with the fact that this is a disease peculiar to rabbits, and that other animals will not take the infection. This, in fact, is what Mr Stanley has certified to —that the disease is innocuous to all animals except rabbits. The operations have naturally been watched with great interest by the nmholders in the 'district, who are satisfied that the scheme will be a radical cure for the pest from which they are suffering ; and Messrs Butcher and Ellis have concluded arrangements for tiie introduction of the disease on a number of large runs in the vicinity of Wilcanuia and Mendie. The nature of the disease is a micro organism in the blood, and a post mortem examination to the unskilled eye reveals nothing but extreme emaciation. Micro-cocci have been cultivated in tubes, and rabbits so inoculated die in the same manner, so that the working of the disease is a simple matter. Dogs and cats have been fed on diseased carcasses and have not suffered in any way. There is also no danger of ill effects to human beings, as the experts have been daily handling the virus for over three months. It is proposed, if permission is "ranted by the Government, to experiment in New Zealand in a similar manner, and application will be made to the authorities for land on which to conduct a trial. The decision recently arrived at respecting M. Pasteur’s scheme, botli in this Colony and Australia, makes the introducers sanguine that the Government will aid them in every way to test the safety of their scheme, so far as it affects the safety of stock, and from their trials are convinced that the experiment, under qualified supervision, will prove that, in the disease they propose to introduce, there is not the least danger to any other animals.