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Glanders or
Farcy.
Glanders is the disease in animals which has caused most trouble and expense
to the Council. The disease is now dealt with under the Glanders or Farcy Order
of 1920, which requires veterinary surgeons, etc., who consider that any horse,
ass or mule is affected with glanders, or was so affected when it died, or was slaughtered,
to notify the local authority. A fee of 2s. 6d. is payable by the local authority to the
person giving such notice. Under the Glanders or Farcy (Metropolitan Police
District) Order, 1911, the Council had powers to destroy nosebags and other stable
material not capable of disinfection. The Order was revoked, but its provisions
were re-enacted in the Glanders Order, 1920, and the powers continue to be fully
utilised after each outbreak. All infected material of this kind is burnt at one of the
knackers' depots at the expense of the Council. During 1923 there were two
infringements of the Importation of Dogs Orders, penalties and costs amounting
to £2 being imposed.
Swine fever.
Swine fever has been very prevalent throughout Great Britain during the past
few years. Two outbreaks were dealt with in London during the year. During
1923 under the Regulation of Movement of Swine Order 19,405 swine were examined
at feeders' premises. There was one infringement of the Order, which was
dealt with by means of a written caution. There was one infringement of the
Swine Fever Order of 1908. A conviction was obtained, the defendant being
required to pay £1 1s. costs.
Anthrax.
Anthrax occurs occasionally in London, and so long as fodder is imported from
abroad sporadic cases will probably arise. Most stringent precautions in the way of
cleansing and disinfection are taken by the Council's inspectors who personally
supervise the destruction of the entire carcase of an infected animal as well as any
article with which it may have come into immediate contact.
Rabies.
The Council is convinced that the most efficacious measures for stamping out
hydrophobia are muzzling, the seizure of all stray dogs, and the regulation of the
importation of dogs. Under the Dogs Order, 1906, which revoked all then existing
muzzling regulations, the Council made new regulations requiring the wearing of
collars by dogs while on a highway. Under these regulations, 20,398 dogs were seized
by the police during 1923 and 13,900 were destroyed.
Parasitic
mange.
On the outbreak of the war, the Order dealing with parasitic mange was
temporarily suspended, with the result that the disease increased largely. The
conditions under which trade horses are fed and worked in London, particularly
during busy seasons, tend to encourage the spread of the disease. During 1923,
however, the returns of cases in London showed an increase but it is a satisfactory
feature that fewer animals were affected in each outbreak than in the previous
year. The following figures relate to 1923 :—outbreaks, 128 ; horses affected, 226 ;
infringements, 20 ; written cautions sent, 9 ; convictions, 11 ; penalties and costs,
£99 17s. For the purposes of comparison, the number of outbreaks in 1922 was
96, affecting 164 horses.
Sheep scab.
During 1923 the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries made an Order known
as the Sheep Scab Order of 1923. This Order (i) requires sheep owners to take
such steps from time to time as are reasonably practicable to secure that their
sheep are free from scab, and (ii.) entirely alters the legal position of the sheep owner
as regards the disease. Under previous Orders sheep scab might be present among
a flock without the owner incurring any penalty, provided that he reported the
existence of the disease and carried out the prescribed general treatment. These
requirements are still in force but, in addition, after 1st July, 1924, the owner of
sheep affected with the complaint will be liable to a penalty up to £20 or, if more
than four animals are affected, to a fine not exceeding £5 for each animal, unless
he can show that he has habitually taken adequate measures to cure and prevent
the disease in his flocks. All necessary steps were taken to bring the requirements
of the Order to the notice of the persons concerned.