433
an animal affected with pleuro or rinderpest. At present, however, they don’t know these diseases, and it seems to me that the
Amount
of veterinary knowledge in the Colony is not sufficient for their diagnosis.
What therefore, is the
use
of sending an inspector to find out disease which neither cattle owner nor
he himself
knows
anything about? The probability is that he will gain the knowledge he lacks at present at the expense of the
and by creating the
cattle owner
epidemic, Government send him to prevent.
I would suggest
that a
competent inspector — a veterinary surgeon — be obtained; that cattle
owner be ordered to report periodically, the state of health of their herds — and
of febrile disease at once; that such case be at once separated from the herd awaiting the visit of the inspector; that if the
case is pronounced dangerous
the Inspector have the power to deal
with it.
By
such a
system
the risk of the
Inspector spreading disease is minimised,
and under it the cattle owners would feel that it was their interest to assist the
Government.
Can
At all events the present system can
only be regarded
as a nuisance
and a danger.
I hope you will be able to do something for
it.
Your very truly, Sir Patrick Manson.