Foot and Mouth Disease was again introduced to the Settlement area, no doubt by refugee' animals from the surrounding country where the disease appears sporadically. The outbreak was of a more severe nue ture than previously, and owing to abnormal conditions obtaining with the development of hostilities in the Western. area, strict enforcement of quarantine became impossible, and the disease spread to all the herds, except three, within a very short while, Four herds were infected with contagious Plouro-Pnoumonia with 27 deaths, as against 20 for 1936 and 58 for 1936, 'Afler an absence of over 2 years, one outbreak of Rinderpest occurred In December 1936, ut' was limited to one dairy by strict enforcement of quarantine, 'Anthrax appeared again sporadleally, resulting in 9° deaths," the animals being disposed of in the Disposal Plant' Wet Digestor instead of, a8 previously, by cremation, Analyses of figures of meat supply. up to the commencement of hostili-tes Indleated a promising year with inerenses in the kill of oxen and and a normal number—of sheep only showing a decrease, mainly due to legislative measures by the Chinese Government preventing the killing of sheep dur-Ing. Pregnancy for the recovery of skins of the Unbom lambs (Astrakhan). "During the few weeks. prior to hostilities, record Myures were Teached in the Abattoir.
There was no untoward incidence of disease amongst animals, and the percentage of rejections remained tuning by means of fas further developed and jin the Abattoir and 'Municipal Pig Slaughterhouse. for all calves, sheep, goats, pigs and approximately 50 per cen. of oxen, the remainder of these' being humanely 'A total of 350 people were safely evacuated on August, 18 leaving five Chinese employees who volunteered stay behind and look' after large number of animals! eft in the premises. 'These volunters were, on the advice and with the assistance of the Police, evacuate August 21, Hundreds of animals were left' unattended for 9 days, due precautions having been taken to provide them with food and water. When it was possible re-enter the Abattoir, "conditions, were—apart from the fy nulsance—on the whole, satisfactory: only a relatively small number of pigs. and greater "number of rabbits and guinea pigs having died.
'The Meat Market was made use of to the fullest extent, showing In-eases of 180 por cen. in'number handled, and' 18 por cent.
iloeated fees, s compared with 1996. "Meat admitted Into. the Chilling' Rooms "amounted to 3.672.412, pounds, an increase of 30 per cent, over 1086, Over half & million pounds of meat was handied at the Cold Storage Plant, an iperease of 208 per cent, over 1990- In addition, 'Over 13,000 eases and tins of eggs fand lard were, received for storage. Receipts exceeded $10,000 of which '54 per cent. derived from goods other than meat.' On the whole, the Cold Storage Plant showed satisfactory development, and although this block Was hit by' three shells, and over 15,000 pounds of meat and organs were spoilt, during the days when it, was Impossible to operate Plant, no less than $180,000 worth of neat and other products were safely slared therein throughout hostilities inthe immediate vicinity.
The total amount of materials re~ ceived by the Disposal Plant (208,396 Bhs.) decreased 32 per cent, compared with 1936, but considerable imrovements have been made In the quality of by-products and in_the balance sheet. Successful experiments have been made with bone ronder-ing and the production of tard all and liver meal, the latter for dos biscuits. "During the first. month of hostilities, rejected meat was disposed of by burning and dead dairy animals were buried or cremated under Departmental supervision. By the middle of Seplember it was possible to recommence activities on a small seal ym October 13. By the' end of November, the Plant' was taxed to Its full capacity, intact, tons of material from dead horses and. pigs were accumulated in a special room in the Cold Storage, pending disposal, The-Disposal. Vans were used extensively for emergency transport.
Conditions at the Observation Kennels were very satisfactory. The number "of animals received. for observation was slightly lower than
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.