SWINE FEVER

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11950, 22 May 1933, Page 5

SWINE FEVER

POSITION AS TO BACON FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.

NO NEED FOR ALARM

—X- . (press 'Association) M FEILDING, May 20

• In connection with tlie swine fever scare, the president of the New Zealand Bacon Gurovs’ Association has issued a statement tci allay any alarm. Ho states that the fever is localised and that the whole of the pigs are being destroyed under supervision of the Department. All pigs handled by bacon factories are killed on licensed premises ■ under expert supervision and all factories are subject to the inspection of a Government officer of Health and one of Agriculture. Therefore,* all bacon for human consumption is killed under the strictest supervision #

“Ouf district must he kept free from this shocking scourge,” stated Mr. J. C. Field, at Saturday’s meeting of the Poverty Bay branch of the Farmers’ Union, in reference to the outbreak of swine fever in the Wellington- district. He urged.that investigations should be made as to how the disease entered the country and suggested that the Department of Agriculture should he asked to prohibit tlio introduction of pigs from outside districts into the Gisborne area.—lt Was decided to write to tlio Department at Gisborne convoying Mr. Field’s suggestion.

TWO FORMS OF THE i>IS.EA»~. Dealing with the occurrence °f swine fever, Mr. Elphick. Government veterinarian at- Napier, said that there were two forms of the disease —acute and chronic. With the acute form, farmers could quickly notice an affected pig, but with the chronic form tiie symptoms were nowhere near so pronounced. In. rim acute cases, death eouid take -place in two to three days, and on post-mortem examination, tin- only lesion found present would be in rim stomach and small intestine, which would be uiucb inflamed. In the chrome eases I**ioiis were found in both large- and small' intestines, usually about two feet from the calcliiit. I hose lesions Were usually ol the ulcerative and diphtheric type. The symptoms in the acute bam were a temperature rise to abo-n , .105 degrees, with a quickening ol 'be pulse. A. red rash made its appearance on the belly inside the thighs and on. the ears. 'The bind qiiaitois were affected, ami the pig walked with a staggering gait. Young pigs were chiefly affected with ibis form of tli© disease. The chronic form was more gradual the pigs being dull. suffering thorn a loss of appetite and lay about, being disinclined to move. A high temperature was also run. At tb-c 011 ”j t of the illness the pigs would vomit, and this would be followed by an attack of diarrhoea, tinged with blood. A red rash was also present in tbiform of the disease, and with time this bash would become purple i u colour. The breathing was laboured, being usually accompanied whn a sharp cough. In both forms the causative organism wa a the swim imei bacillus. - Mr Elphick said that although • was -improbable that an outbreak of swine fever would occur in this district, he would advise pig fanneis, particularly those who had pigs purchased in other districts, to keep a careful eye on their stock, and if any of tho symptoms made themselves manifest, to report' 1' 11 ' 250 cuses l ° i 1 " 1 " a s soon a.s possible.—'H-B. Herald.