Abstract:
1. The history of rinderpest and of measures taken to check its spread
in Central East Africa is briefly reviewed.
2. A description is given of a disease, believed to be rinderpest, affecting
buffalo, eland and kudu in the Lake Rukwa trough.
3. Attention is drawn to some of the habits of game and the close
association often existing between cattle and game in the dry season.
4. Subinoculations from affected buffalo and eland into susceptible
young cattle and goats show that these animals suffered from rinderpest.
5. While defensive measures for cattle, namely immunization and
control of movement are eminently successful, game still remains the
greatest source of danger for spreading and for maintaining rinderpest.
Segregation of game on a large scale, possibly with selective destruction in
certain restricted areas, is the only weapon we possess at present to counter
this danger. The type of bush fencing described is an attempt at evolving
a practical, effective and relatively cheap means of achieving this.
6. The need for further research into the diseases of game animals and
the necessity for revision of the prevalent attitude toward the game problem
in Africa is emphasized.
