Foot & Mouth Disease (AKA Hoof & Mouth)

[Paul Hollingworth <PH@paulholl.demon.co.uk>]

Currently much talk in the UK is about how the spread of this disease is
exacerbated by the closure of over 90% of the nation's (mostly small,
local) slaughterhouses - a direct result of EU legislation to prevent
CJD through spinal tissue entering the human food chain. A fine example
of non-systemic thinking. 15 minutes on a solution-effect diagram might
have predicted this risk.

I thought Denizens might find the following statement interesting. It is
about the use of Homeopathic Borax solution in feeding water. This
probably costs 2p a bucketful, far less than the vaccine and much less
profitable than Dettol (the recommended disinfectant which is now in
short supply anyway!).

Regards
Paul


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In response to enquiries from the public, farmers and veterinary
surgeons, the Faculty of Homeopathy is issuing the following statement
on the use of homeopathic prophylactics for the control of Foot & Mouth
Disease.  This statement is issued on Friday 2 March and is subject to
revision as the situation develops.

In view of the legal status of this notifiable disease and the MAFF
Slaughter Policy, the Faculty of Homeopathy does not currently advise
the use of any prophylactic (preventative) medication for Foot & Mouth
Disease.

An Eradication Scheme and Slaughter Policy relies on a wholly
susceptible animal population, in order to be able to detect disease
signs promptly.  The danger of using any prophylactic medicine is that,
if it is effective, it may render animals unsusceptible.  This could
result in animals being able to harbour the virus and to shed it, while
they remain symptom-free.  If they were to become 'carriers', the virus
could multiply within them with potentially devastating effect for the
national herd.
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(incidentally, the devastation would be economic - in most cases F&M is
not life threatening to the animals)
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Paul Hollingworth                       4GM Consulting  
email: PH@4GM.com                       http://www.4GM.com
phone: +44(0) 1423 322225               fax: +44(0) 1423 322205 
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