THE RABBIT BLAGUE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9012, 27 March 1888, Page 5

THE RABBIT BLAGUE.

[by telegraph.—own correspondent. ] Wellington, Monday. Professor Thomas, of the University College, Auckland, arrived in Wellington yesterday by the Mararoa, and this morning waited upon the Minister of Lands. I learn from the Minister that Professor Thomas has been requested to investigate the nature of the disease which has appeared among rabbits in Wairarapa district. The Professor was a passenger by rail to Cartert6n this afternoon, where Mr. Orbell, of the sheep and rabbit department, has instructions to meet him, and conduct him over the district. I understand upon the same authority that having examined the district, a number of the diseased rabbits will be caught and sent to Auckland, so as to enable the Professor to make his inquiry complete and exhaustive. There appears to be a good deal of misapprehension about the nature and extent of the Wairarapa rabbit disease. I always had the notion that flux was a species of entozoon which infested the livers of certain animals. A writer, however, in one of the newspapers describes the new disease among rabbits, recently discovered by some station-owners, as a small sac under the skin of the thighs or jaws of the rabbits. The sac contains a convolution of some form of opaque white ova or parasitic life, floating in a serous fluid. If this is the case, it was hardly worth while to bring Professor Thomas from Auckland to investigate it. The disease has been well-known to station-owners and rabbiters in North Wairarapa for certainly five years past as a very common thing. It appears to be in no way fatal, the rabbits being as plentiful and prolific as ever after five years' experience of the disease. But anything connected with the rabbit plague is of great public interest just now, and if Professor Thomas could only indicate the mode of the propagation of a natural parasite, so as to destroy the rabbit, he would be pronounced a public benefactor. I had a conversation with a well-known public man this morning, who is interested in the Wairarapa district, and considers the mission of the professor as one which may or may not have important results ; but, at the same time, he thinks the inquiry instituted by the Government is a very wise proceeding. There is no scare in the Wairarapa consequent upon this discovery of a new disease among rabbits, but the existence of the disease is a recognised fact. Some time ago the Government intimated their intention to have New Zealand represented at the Conference which is to be held in Australia to report upon the efficacy of Pasteur's experiments, and the possible results of eradicating the pest of rabbits by introducing among them the germs of an infectious disease. I learn from the Minister of Lands that although the question of representation at the conference was settled, the name of the scientist qualified for that purpose has not come before the Cabinet. Whoever goes must be a student of biology with sufficient authority to pronounce upon the practical value of Pasteur's experiments. I believe that there are only two persons in the colony who can be regarded as sufficiently qualified by biological studies. Professor Parker is one, and Professor Thomas is the other ; but I learn that Professor Thomas, before he came to New Zealand, was already an authority upon the nature of parasitic disease in quadrupeds, and had studied for years the law of its propagation by infection. I should not be surprised therefore if there is more meant by this visit of Professor Thomas to Wairarapa than is perceptible at first. All those scientific persons who will attend the Conference will find it an advantage to undertake some preparatory studies. I have no official authority for saying that Professor Thomas will be asked to represent New Zealand, but he is one of the only two persons in the colony who are admitted to be qualified for such a delegation, and he appears to be qualified by special studies.