Sessional_Paper_1903 — Page 588

HONGKONG.

No. 1903

40

A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON A CATTLE DISEASE IN THE COLONY OF HONGKONG.

Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency the Officer Administering the Government.

GOVERNMENT PUBLIC MORTUARY,

HONGKONG, October 31st, 1905.

SIR,We have the honour to subunit the following Report for the information of His Excellency the Governor.

Since the year 1896, the Colony of Hongkong has suffered from the effects of an extremely fatal disease amongst its cattle, As to the existence of the disease prior to this date, we have no information.

In the year 1896, while the Colonial Veterinary Surgeon was absent on leave, a very fatal epidemic of disease broke out amongst the cattle belonging to the Dairy Farm Company at Pokfulum. This outbreak attracted considerable attention, and was the subject of investigation by many of the local medical men. Further outbreaks of apparently the same disease occurred during the years 1898, 1899,

1901 and 1902.

In addition to the existence of the disease at the Dairy Farm in Pokfulam, epidemics of a similar nature occurred in other Dairies, in the Kennedy Town Cattle Depôt, and in the New Territory.

From an examination of all official records at our disposal, of epidemics since 1896, the general consensus of opinion appears to be that the disease was Rinderpest.

No record of the symptoms and post-mortem appearances could be obtained.

Mr. WALKER, Manager of the Dairy Farm Company, has kindly placed his notes, taken during the progress of the various epidemics occurring at Pokfulum, at our disposal. These consist of temperature records with remarks thereon, symp- toms, and attempts made to procure immunity from the disease.

The following is a digest of Mr. WALKER's remarks. There was no loss of cattle until the year 1896. Reliable information as to the cause of the outbreaks was not ascertainable. He inclines to the opinion that food has something to do with the spread of the disease, and the introduction of infection. Straw, brought from the mainland, he believes to be the chief source of infection. From his notes of the various epidemics down to and including that of 1903, he is convinced that the disease has been the saine all through" and is that which is known to him as Rinderpest. His conclusions as to the identity of the disease during the different outbreaks are supported by the fact that he has never seen a recurrence of the disease in an animal which had taken the disease and got better, even although the animal in question was in direct contact with sick animals.

His description of the symptoms is briefly as follows:-

The initial symptom is a rise in temperature. The rise in temperature is very rapid. It may reach 105° F. or 106 F. in 24 hours. In milch Cows, the secretion of milk was arrested almost immediately after the temperature began to rise. The animal still kept on feeding. In 2 or 3 days food was refused. A little later diarrhoea set in. The visible mucous membranes became reddened. A discharge, variable in amount, was visible from the eyes, nose and vagina. The animals "shiver" and have a staring coat. The diarrhoea was black and offensive. Its duration was 1 or 2 days. In mild cases the diarrhoea proceeds no further. In more severe cases blood appears in the fæces and the diarrhoea continues. The character of the continued diarrhoea is thin and watery, with flakes of mucous membrane, streaked with blood. The animal lies most of the time, the anus is in- flamed and raw, and frequently considerable straining is observed. At other times the faces are passed unconsciously.