CASE OF ANTHRAX

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 227, 24 April 1933, Page 3

CASE OF ANTHRAX

Discovery in North Auckland

FULL PRECAUTIONS TAKEN

Press Association—Copyright

Auckland, April 22.—Reports that cases of anlhrax had occurred among cattle on a farm in the North Auckland district were confirmed by Dr. ('. J. Reakes, i (iroetor General of Agriculture, v.'no is visiting Auckland. After a long period of immunity frosn any cases of anthrax in farm animals in New Zealand, ."aid Dr. Reakes, some cases recently occurred on a small farm in the Kaipara district. Immediately the matter became known to the officers of the Live Stock Division of the Department, of Agriculture it was taken in hand, and a strict quarantine was imposed on the property. It seemed evident that, the steps taken had been successful in preven/ing further mortality, apart from that involved by the original cases.

"Anthrax does not spread easily, as do diseases like pleuro-pneumonia or foot and mouth, disease, for instance, neither of which is present in New Zealand," said Dr. Reakes. "The source of the infect ' i in this case has not yet been completely established. The ca.ses which occurred in lhe Dominion nearly 30 years ago were definitely traced to the use of infected unsterilised bone manure imported from abroad, and as a result a system of inspection and certification at the source of lhe origin of imported bone manure was fiftaWished, with entirely satisfactory results. Anthrax infection can remain in the soil for 40 or 50 years and still retain its vitality. The question of what was the originating cause t.f this last outbreak is now being thoroughly investigated."