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this condition cannot be regarded as normal, and I am not altogether certain that some constitutional
change prejudicial to the value of the animal as human food does not result. In any event a country
such as this which is dependent in a very large measure for its food supply on imported products must
take the stand that only sound and non-diseased products shall be admitted. If any variation from
this attitude is permitted it becomes a matter of the greatest difficulty to decide the line of demarcation.
This simple statement of the position requires no elaboration.
Solution of the problem must be sought in the country of origin and the real administrative
solution is not to temporise by attempting to reduce the objectionable appearances, but to make every
effort to remove the cause. This cannot be done until the life history of the infecting organism has
been elucidated. When such has been with certainty decided, the circumstances will require to be
considered and preventive measures based on such knowledge attempted. Much excellent work I
know has been done in Australia in relation to this aspect of the subject, but I very much doubt whether
any scientist would accept the statement that the life history of this worm has been worked out without
a shadow of doubt.
I am quite aware that work of this character is costly, but on the other hand depreciation of Australian
meat as a consequence of the presence of this disease must be expensive to all persons interested
in the various aspects of the cattle trade in Australia. It would not be a difficult matter to estimate the
capital sum which is represented by depreciation of all Australian carcases as represented by actual
reduced selling value, not to mention the reduction in weight consequent upon removal of the briskets ;
in fact the economic loss has already been prominently mentioned in official reports.
In my opinion I consider that further research work should be organised in connection with onchocerciasis.
Such work involves the labour almost of a team of workers, comprising among others,
the skilled helminthologist, the expert entomologist, the experienced epidemiologist, and possibly
the modern veterinarian. The labours of such people must extend over more than a season, that is
to say, more than over the different seasons of one year, possibly over a continuous period of years
to enable experience to be gained of different annual variations. It must of necessity be expensive
work because men who are competent to undertake this particular class of research are probably men
who are gaining a place in the forefront of science. To limit their activities for a prolonged period means
that they are removed from general to detailed work with possible crippling of their future careers.
True it is that if a satisfactory solution results from their labours, the reward will be great, but there
must be permanent adequate remuneration during this period of isolation from other work. The annual
expenditure therefore should not be on parsimonious lines, and personally I feel that the effort could
be arranged if financial considerations do not prove prohibitive. In this connection perhaps £10,000
a year would be a nearer estimate than £1,000, but again I can only suggest that the effort would be
worth the expenditure, and more than worth it if successful.
There are in Australia efficient and excellent scientific centres which if conditions and circumstances
are, as in this country, only require financial encouragement. If the men at the home centres
are not available there are those, I think, in this country who would be more than willing to assist
provided the attractions as suggested were sufficiently bright.
There are two other aspects of the case I might mention. One is that the Meat Committee of the
Food Investigation Board in conjunction with the Low Temperature Research Station at Cambridge
so ably presided over by Mr. W. B. Hardy, Secretary of the Royal Society, and on which Committee
I have the honour of a seat, is devoting a considerable time to the investigation of new methods in
connection with the freezing of meat. Improvement in freezing methods is by no means outside the
realm of probability, and if so, other things being equal, the disadvantage of freezing might be reduced
somewhat. In the interests therefore of traders if such improvement be attained, it would seem equally
desirable that the objectionable mutilations should be limited or done away with so that advantage
may be taken of any improvements which may be discovered.
The matter is perhaps also of international importance. The intermediate carrier in the life history
of infections such as that to which Australian bovines are subjected need not necessarily be the same
in every country, and if infection is transmitted from one country to another a suitable intermediate
host might be found to exist in the country into which it was introduced.
The above is the position as it appears to me. Temporisations simply mean continued depreciation
of the Australian product ; the discovery of the life history of the organism, particularly if such
can be associated with effective preventive measures, would prove a real remedy and it might easily
result in the Australian product being regarded in the market as of equivalent value to similar products
from other countries.
I therefore strongly recommend that the scientific bodies in the Commonwealth be consulted, that
their recommendations be received and if thought desirable, acted upon with a spirit of generosity.
I feel I ought to express an apology for making any recommendation on a subject which is outside
my province, particularly' in view of the work done by Cleland, Dickinson, Dodd, Gilruth, Hill, Johnston,
McEachran, Miss Sweet, and others in Australia. Had this been a scientific report I should have mentioned
the part these investigators had played in the elucidation of the problem, as it is I may have
made statements which further acquaintance with local conditions and work would have proved to
be inadvisable, and if so, I trust that the fact that I received an instruction to report will be regarded
as an adequate excuse."
During February it will be remembered that there was an extensive outbreak
of foot and mouth disease in this country and that active measures had to be taken
by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to bring the spread under control.
Special veterinarv surgeons were detailed off for this work in different parts of the
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