Edition Bobbett1. Texts by Elizabeth F. Bobbett: 1.1.3. Correspondence, Letters to newspapers

1957 Elizabeth Bobbett: Letter to the Irish Press, 29.06.1957

Swine Fever1

In the daily papers of Saturday, June 22, was published the new Order restricting the movement of pigs with the object of halting the spread of swine fever. In the statement issued by the Department the following paragraphs appear: “Appeals to farmers, pig-feeders and dealers to report suspicious sickness among pigs have been ignored. If they fail to report cases of sickness that look in the least like swine fever, or if they move animals which show such sickness, all efforts will be in vain.”

Now I consider it would be most enlightening if the Department gave some outline as to what the swine fever is like, as I have not yet seen any reference to what are the symptoms of swine fever, and as it is very many years, thank God, since the fever was in this country, most farmers have no idea what way the pigs are affected or what the symptoms are.

Do they run a high temperature? How long does the infection last?

If this information was given through the daily papers, it would save farmers much trouble and expense, as to my knowledge I know of a case where a man had some small pigs and one was off its feed and for fear it might be the fever the man took it 12 miles into the vet, who said it was only indigestion it had.

1 - A similar letter was published in the Irish Independent, 29.06.1957.