ANTHRAX.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 1146, 10 February 1903, Page 2

ANTHRAX.

Mil PATBIiSON'S VIEWS. During the recent conference al Invercargill of the N.Z. Farmers' Union a representative of thin journal interviewed Mr Paterwn, recently-appointed veterinarian to the Union) in Southland, on the subject of anthrax, an outbreak of which recently occurred at Woodlands. Mr Patcrson said that previous outbreaks of the di«e«Be which had occurred in the North Island took place under different circumstances to that at Woodland* In this respect, that in those outbreaks the imported bones, to which thoy 'were attributed, had • been sown, and the subsequent crop had grown, and it was while grassing on this crop that the animals had become affected, so that a year had elapsed between the time the bones bad been used and the outbreak of the disease. This rendered it difficult to oonvtnoe the agricultural publie as to the cause and effect of the outbreak. Expert* were convinced that the northern was oaused by Imported bones, but it was difficult indeed to convince the public. In the Woodlands case the occurrences were different. Oaring tit* occupancy of the late owner o! the (arm at Woodlands on which the outbreak he had not used imported bones at any for manure, and during a long period occupancy he had only lost one oow. At time of the outbreak the present oooopler the farm was sowing imported booes manure. He h«d a Jin* of tn«i along a grass paddock at the end of the field he was working in. Com were graxing this paddoek, and font were seat) In tbs neighborhood of the bones, and ebewing them. Tb«e animals died of an thou* «i ■

that cause and effect were nearer together thud in previous outbreaks by a year. All that was necessary, therefore, to complete the chain of evidence was to find the anthrax germ in the imported bones. Recent newspaper reports showed this had been done. The bones used at Woodlands came from Calcutta, and were landed at the Bluff. Portion of the same consignment went to Canterbury, and a farmer there had sent on to Mr Qilruth a sample, in which that gentleman had succeed in demonstrating the presence of the anthrax organism. Ii this had been done, then all the evidence required had been obtained. The cause of the outbreak was undoubtedly the importation of affected bone fiom Co!f:u.ta. When once the disease was established in a country cr district it was difficult to eradicate it, as the germs or spores persist in the soil for an indefinite period, and were liable to be picked up by the animals which were grazing in the pasture, disease being thus established and an outbreak occurring. So for as his own experience went, it was seldom that large numbers of animals were affected throughout a wide district. The more common occurrence was for one or two cows to become affected and die on one farm, tbat being the whole outbreak for that particular locality, and there might be no other for a year or two. On the other hand there may be as many as 20 animals on one farm affected at the same time, but so far as Mr Paterson's experience extended he had come across only one such outbreak. The danger of anthrax lies in the ease with which it is transmitted to all farm auimals and to human beings. Every precaution should be taken to prevent the soil being contaminated with anthrax, and the best way to prevent this contamination is to burn the carcases of all animals dying under suspicious circumstances, being careful to leave the skin of the animal intact. The object of leaving the skin unbroken is to prevent the germs (romVjbtainiriti access to atmospheric air, numerous experiments having shown that. unless they have access to the air they soon cease to exist.

As the Government Veterinary Department has demonstrated the presence of the anthrax organism in the imported bones referred to, it is the obvious duty oi the State to do what is deemed by science to be sufficient to prevent future outbreaks. Mr Paterson described the process of steaming bones. He showed our representative samples of bones which had been properly treated by this process, and others which had not been properly treated. He advocates'the use of revolving vats, so that every particle of bone might be subjected to the moist heat of the digester. If they were properly treated at a pressure of GOlbs of steam, there would not be any danger; and it was the duty of the Government to see that this was done. The bones which had been landed from the Aparima may have been steamed, but tbey could not have been properly sterilised. The Government shouid see that all imported bones were properly steamed before they reached the farmers' hands. Should there be an outbreak, however, it was the duty of the farmer to burn the carcase. The Farmers' Union should urge upon the Government the necessity of the proper sterilisation of all imported bones, and also to instruct farmers throughout the country on all points that would be of profit in the prevention of the disease, or in its eradication. Mr Paterson is of opinion that although anthrax is a very deadly and dangerous disease, still there are diseases in Southland wh'ch are likely to cause the farmers greater pecuniary loss than anthrax, even where it an established disease in the district. One of these is Winton disease. In his opinion that disease is responsible for probably onethird of ali the deaths occurring among horses and cows in Southland. Anthrax does not break out in so virnlant a form as this disease, which is alwavs with us.

From newspaper reports Mr Paterson says it would seem that farmers throughout the South Island are very sceptical about this latest outbreak of anthrax, sorue having gone so far as to suggest that the Government officers have jumped too readily to the conclusion that the cause of the outbreak was the introduction of Calcutta bones. Where such gentlemen in possession of all the facts and details with which the Government officers are conversant, and had they uny conception of the manner in which every point was weighed and considered before a conclusion was come to, they might change their views. One agriculturalist, Mr Paterson said, had stated that anthrax was caused by something else than Calcutta bones. That was true. The actual cause of the outbreak of anthrax was the presence in an animal's body of the anthrax organism. This and this only was the cause of anthrax—and of anthrax only. It was just as impossible to get glanders from the anthrax organism as it was to get onions from turnip seed. No Government official had ever said that the cause of the anthrax disease was Calcutta bones, but the conclusion was forced upon the Government officials that the cause of the outbreak of the disease (the anthrax organism) was among those bones.

| A meeting of rabbit trappers will be hel< this evening at Mandeville, when Mr J. J Ramsay, who is organising the rubbiters Union, will address the nit.p ing. It is pin posed that the trappers shall export th air nv i rabbits under the Union. Meeting will I t held at Otama to-morrow night, Wai'caka on Thursday, and Clinton on Friday. Gents' bicycle for sale—£lo cask. Second appropriation of £SOO in Qort Starr-Bowkett to be sold on 23rd. Wright, Stephenson and Co. sell crop oats, on the 14th. Sale of stock, etc., at Riversdale, on 19th, by Wright, Stephenson and Co. On the 18th Wright, Stephenson and Co. sell stock at Balfour. Thos. Green declared representative for Boroughs of Gore and Mataura on Bluff Harbor Board.