FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 December 1934, Page 10

FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE

SPREAD BY THE WIND. MARKET RASEN, October 29. The worst outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease Lincolnshire has known is prevailing in this area. It is reliably estimated that within the first few days of the outbreak more than £lO,OOO worth of stock has been destroyed by order of the Ministry of Agriculture. More than 300 head of cattle, 500 pigs, and many shep have been slaughtered and incinerated. A Ministry official said to-day that the theory is held that the outbreak has followed the track of the prevailing west wind. ... .The village church and. the Methodist Chapels at Middle Rasen have been closed. No services, will be held until further notice. Farmers, who include well-known breeders, are facing ruin. Valuable stocks, which in some cases have taken twenty years to assemble, have had to be destroyed, and smallholderswhose only, livelihood is the keeping of a. Tew pigs, are in a. pitiful plight. Five North Lincolnshire markets — Lincoln, Grimsby, Gainsborough, Brigg, anil Market Rasen—have been closed except for the sale of cattle for immediate slaughter.Irt the Market Rasen area, -which is the centre of the-outbreak, there is a complete standstill order. Cattle must, not be-moved in any circumstances. Farmers are not allowed even to transfer their animals across the road... ..

The situation reached such alarming proportions to-day that special constables were sworn in to assist the. Ministry’s inspectors and to ensure that the infected premises arc kept under continuous observation. At the ‘entrance to every farm in the area, which covers 15 miles from east to west, and rather less than 10 ‘ miles from north to south, tubs and buckets containing 'disinfectant have teen placed. VisitOHs entering and leaving the farms have to dip their shoes in it.

The original outbreak was discovered at Atterby, at the eastern extremity of the area.

During the present month there have been outbreaks of ibot-and-mouth disease at Totley aud Staden (Derbyshire), and Lower Mortou, Thornbury (Gloucestershire).