Report of the Departmental Committee appointed by the president of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries to enquire into foot-and-mouth disease.

  • Great Britain. Board of Agriculture and Fisheries. Foot-and-Mouth Disease Committee.
Date:
1912
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Departmental Committee appointed by the president of the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries to enquire into foot-and-mouth disease. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    12/370 (page 6)
    During the years 1903-1907 there were no outbreaks (28), (84, 35); (65). _ ‘In 1908 three outbreaks occurred at Edinburgh, where foreign hay was suspected. as being the cause of the disease (93), (161), (193). This led to the issue of the Foreign Hay and Straw Order of 1908; 1909 was free, but in 1910 there were two outbreaks at Ripon, Yorks (66 to 68). - In 1911 there were six initial outbreaks. : The first was reported on 9th March at Chobham, Surrey; infection did not spread from the premises, and all restrictions were removed on 15th April. The second outbreak was reported on 3rd July at Hounslow, Middlesex. Disease spread to premises } mile distant, where a case occurred on 6th July, and to premises 4 miles distant, where another case occurred on 7th July; all restrictions were removed on 8th August. The third outbreak was reported on 17th July at Udimore, East Sussex, and spread to two other premises near ; all restrictions were removed on 23rd August. The fourth outbreak was reported ‘on’ 21st August at West Hallam, Derby, did not spread, and the restrictions were withdrawn on 30th September... The fifth outbreak, reported on 28th September, at Middlezoy, Bridgwater, spread to nine other premises. All restrictions were removed on Sth December. The sixth outbreak reported on 6th, December at Martock did not spread, and the restrictions were withdrawn on 8th January 1912 (69 to 72), making a total of 19 outbreaks for 1911. In 10 of the 21 years, from 1892 to the present time, the disease has existed in Great Britain, the total number of outbreaks in that period being 158, but of these 133 occurred during the first 10 years, and only 25 during the last 11 years. It would thus seem probable that the disease is more under control now than formerly. ° Description of Disease. -Foot-and-mouth disease \is highly infectious (429) and contagious, (2526) (2760), and attacks cattle, sheep, swine (404), goats, deer (2760), etc. Horses, dogs, and cats have been reported to be affected ; it has also been known to affect human beings. It does not arise spontaneously, and every case of foot-and-mouth disease must be attributed to a pre-existing case of the disease. The incubation period, which is by no means clearly established, may be from one to ten days (2581), (5717), the more usual period being two to five days. | The disease causes great pain, the animal limps badly on the affected limbs, shakes its feet, prefers to lie down, refuses food, and a milch cow gives less milk. Cattle, when the disease is advanced, make a characteristic smacking noise with their lips; saliva hangs from the mouth in strings; blisters or blebs form in the mouth and between the toes, and the virus is exuded from them. It has been demonstrated that 1-300th part of a drop of liquid from one of these blisters introduced into the blood of an animal may successfully infect it with the disease (2525). This disease is So serious and so infectious that there is every reason for dreading it, and on the slightest suspicion stock owners should, without a moment’s delay, give notice of it to the police. The virus of foot-and-mouth disease cannot be seen under the most powerful microscope obtainable, and cannot be arrested by any proved process of filtration. There does not appear to be any definite knowledge of the length of time during which it may remain active outside the body of an animal. Those who have had practical experience when the disease was prevalent among stock in this country, consider (5721) that the period does not usually exceed one month, and when the virus is exposed to sun and light is much shorter. Experimentally it has been found to remain active for a period not exceeding four months (412). It has, however, been stated by one of the expert witnesses that manure may undoubtedly remain infective for that time (6700), and he also considers, from deductions he arrived at from his experience of certain recurring outbreaks, that its infectivity under conditions favourable to it may continue for 12 months (2537). Experiment and Research into Foot-and-Mouth and other Diseases, There is but little exact knowledge even among the greatest veterinary experts as to the nature, origin, and means of transmission of this disease; the Committee feel, therefore, that it is most important to obtain further information on the subject through the medium of ‘special and thorough investigation, experiment, and research. They consequently welcome the appointment of a scientific Committee to study it in India, and are of opinion that a liberal grant from the Treasury should be asked for,