SCIENCE CONGRESS

Evening Star, Issue 18175, 16 January 1923, Page 6

SCIENCE CONGRESS

CONTAGIOUS DISEASES OF ANIMALS. PROTECTION NECESSITIES. [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, January 16. At tho Semico Congress to-day Professor H. Woodruff, director of the Veterinary Sohool, Melbourne University, took as the subject of his (presidential address ' The Prevention of tho Spread of Contagious Diseases of Animals.' He referred to the immense losses which had resulted .from epidemic diseases of stock in Europe during the nineteenth century, notably from cattle plague, disea.se, bovine .pl-ouro-piieirmonia, and ho showed that these losses had impelled the Governiinoms of various countries to establish .State veterinary and sanitary services. Go-incident with these costly epidemics in Britain and on tho Continent, colonials in various parts ol the Empire were introducing pedigree .stock .from Britain, and it was surprising, not that wo introduced one or two conUiigioua diseases, but that we escaped so many. Tho lecturer tlhon touched upon a, number of cases in which co nil agio n -of some specific disease of animals had been unconsciously introduced from a;n inifouted into a clean country ; among others glanders in many horses returned to England after the South African War. I'Oot.-an.cl-mo'Uith disease was introduced into tho United States by means of .sonic vaccine lymph imported from Japan, and cattle plague was carried into Antwerp by fioino Indian cattle .which were I ramriliipped in the quarantine station, but which left tbe contagion behind them. Tho lecturer then asked whether wo were repairing tho mistakes of our forefathers, and whether wo were in danger of introducing diseases which .would cause groat loss in tho future. Ho thought wo were in some instances, and gave ’examples. He thou proceeded to discuss the need for the introduction of .pedigree stock from abroad, and laid down the iprinoiplo that the veterinary advisers of tOie Governments should have us their watchword “The maximum facilities for stock introduction 1 , compatible with tho safety of our own flocks and herds.” It was easy to exterminate contagious diseases with a polo-axe or to exclude infection by excluding all live animals; hut such a policy did not require very high qualifications to carry it out. Any fool could exclude, but it required highly-trained observers capable of applying scientific laboratory tests to allow imputation with safety. The lecturer then_ detailed the more modern methods ol detecting inifeded animals, and concluded with a plea for the employment of highly-trained veterinary officers educated up to the point of graduation on general lines, but thereafter made specialists in the particular lino they might select for practice. He contended that such officers should be given a salary proportionate to their responsible duties, and that they should bo given the added inconitivo of .facilities for research work into some of Itlho many problems still remaining in connection with the contagious diseases of live stock. CAPITAL AND LABOR. . REVERSING THEIR RELATIONS. “ That the relations of Capital and Labor bo reversed, and that Capital bo paid a pre-doterminod rate and assured against risks, and that Labor take all it can mako out of the proceeds of the venture by increased efficiency and application,” was the suggestion contained on a paper read by Air G. H. V. Hamilton.j a practical .man controlling a eaw-millmg company with 500 hands. At present (he said) Labor’s wage was pro-determined on a basis permitting of bare subsistence. Tho proposed scheme would average a higher standard of efficiency, and would give tho knowledge that every employee would receive his rightful share of proceeds of his efforts, the employee to have such measure of control in tho business ns was justified by the services rendered. A premium on tho bank rate to cover risks could bo paid over tho pro-deter-mined rate to cover Capital’s risk; half the directorate to bo elected by the Capital shareholders, andijialf by the Labor shareholders. Competition and taxation would safeguard the consumer’s legal status, without which the scheme would bo impossible on a permanent basis.