Unheeded Warnings.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 2, 8 January 1903, Page 18

Unheeded Warnings.

The Government goes to great expense in employing veterinary experts to teach farmers how to pre\ent and combat stock, diseases. The first one to be bo employed was Mr. Gilruth, who has since added to his knowledge of bacteriolorv by a visit to the most famous Continental laboratories. In one of his earlier reports Mr Gilruth devoted considerable space to this \eiy subject of anthrax. He pointed out its symptoms, its methods of propagation, and the precautions which should be taken. But far all practical purposes Mr. Gilruth's report might as well never have been wiitten, for it has remained buried in a blue book ever since. Even were a copy of it reprinted and posted to everyone concerned, so little interest is taken in a subject considered only indirect that it is problematical whether it would bo studied. That this is no exaggeration is proved by experience with respect to other reports published by the same department Leaflets are periodically issued with illustrations depicting some noxious weed or some interesting phase of vegetable life Not only are these leaflets widely circulated, but they are ropiod'ivd in most agricultural papers, yet the lea\en of information spreads with exasperating slowness. In like manner Dr Mason's graphic pamphlet about vaccination has been lecehed with stony indifference by the public, and tho department now finds it necessary to commence a wholesale series of prosecutions, of which the public will pi obably hear something in a few days. Crushed bones should never be used for manure unless there is an absolute guarantee that they hu\o been steamed. It is stated with respect to the Woodlands case that even a ceitificate of purification may bo valueless In that \iew of the case the importation of bones should be- li^oiously watched, and they should not bo suffeied to fo into use without the fullest surety that they are not charged with danger. Otherwise New Zealand will very soon lose its boasted pie-eminence as a land free from noxious diseases.