CURE OF MAMMITIS

Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1928, Page 3

CURE OF MAMMITIS

farmers and department ! CONFER. j proposals to vaccine I COMPANY ! PALMERSTON NORTH, Sept. 25. j For the purpose of discussing mat- j ters relative to the trying-out of a vac- j cine cure for manumitis, generally: known as the “Hamilton vaccine.” I Messrs. W. G. Barry, district superintendent of the Department of Agricul- ; ture, Wellington, and C. S. M. Hopkirk, of the veterinary laboratory, Wallaceville, met the members of the Dairy Farmers’ Union in Palmeretojf North to-day. Mr. N. Campbell presided, and read a letter from Mr. MeMurray representative of the vaccine company, who apologised for his absence. When the question was raised at the Dairy Farmers’ Union, he said, the following conditions were agreed to, after representatives of the vaccine' company and the Dairy Farmers’ Union had conferred:—(l) That either the Agriculture Department, or the Massey College take samples of the herd to :be tested; (2) samples to b© taken from a herd that has not been tested; (3) samples to be taken from a herd that has been tested; (4) first sample to be taken in September, second samples to be taken after fourth innoculation, third sample in the autumn, and fifth sample in the following spring.

The Department, Mr. Barry intimated, was quite prepared to carry out the tests, but after an informal discussion ,it was decided, as a. presentative of the company w-as not present; that the following submissions b© put before the company: (1) A stock vaccine to be used (not autogenous for particular herds); (2) three herds to be chosen, and samples to he tested ; (31 herds to be halved on the test, one-half for vaccination, the other for control ; (4) second sample at time of vaccination, third sample at third innoculation, fourth sample 14 days later, and then samples every two months. Mr. J. Boyce stated that the Department had never come out in the epen on the question and said definitely whether or not the vaccine was good. Mr. Barry r We have given oitr opinion'on it 1 .

. Mr. Hopkirk said the Department had net put its opinion up on the hoardings,: but'experiments had shown that the vaccine did not' protect the herds >in any 1 way and was unsatisfactory. “J have tested a number of herds in the country,” ho said, “but I have not seen any beneficial results as yet.”

Mr. Barry pointed out that if the' vaccine had been successful the Department.AVofild' have ’been! the fifist To,pro--cihirii it. ” • ‘ ' •

Mr. Boyce: You should do it the other way too. Mr. Barry: We have published testing results. Mr. P. J. Sinali considered that if the Department knew the vaccine was ,of no use they should. Jiave. said so,, while Mr. Boyce thought they should have prohibited the sale of it altogether.

Mr.' Barry replied that the Department had no power to-do that. Mr. Boyce again put forward his argument that people should know definitely 'whether or not the vaccine was good. ‘ ‘lf you make a statemen t here .to-day,” he said, “the Press will publish it.”

“You; are ''.both.'.-.satisfied in your own minds ‘that the vaccine is no good,” said. Mr. P. J. Small.

Tb this the departmental officers did not reply. Mr. Campbell stated that the vaccine was- costing the farmers in the Mana-jvv.a-tu district £125 a wp»V. there being 500 cows tested at a cost of ss. a cow. The cost to the farmers all over New Zealand would he tremendous,' and they did not know what they were paying for. The question really resolved itself into that. If the Department would come out in the open any say one thing or the other the question would be settled. Mr. parry : 1 could tell you of several places where a. vaccine officer would pot dare to show his face again. However, if the proposals as outlined were submitted to the company the Department would try to meet tnein. ]n reply to a question from. Mr Campbell, the other members of the Pairy Farmers’ Union present stated they were agreeable to the proposals going to the company, Mr. Boyce stating emphatically that be considered the company should have bad a representative present a,t the meeting

Prigr to the conclusion of the conference Mr. Hop-kirk stated that the vaccine had been tested in Victoria., where, judging from papers from, authorities there, it had not been suecesful. It was decided to send the proposals to the company.