Myxomatosis
Rabbits that are infected by myxomatosis, I am told, suffer agony before the end and crawl about, bloated and suffocating, some- thing like rats when they have taken certain kinds of poisoned baits. A rat-catcher is prepared for the results of laying poison and soon puts his victims out of their misery but the disease that was used in Australia and subsequently introduced in France cannot be controlled once it begins to spread and there is no merciful end for the afflicted animals. It would be a great thing if our rabbit popula- tion could be cut down, but evens if the rabbits could be spared the suffering, it is not a simple matter. The vermin that live on the rabbits would quickly turn to some new, source of food and the balance would be upset. Myxomatosis could become the con- cern of all the farmers of the country. Rabbits are prone to disease of one sort and another, from tapeworm to spotted liver as well as both internal and external growths. Their very habits make this so. If the disease is not confined to those areas in the south where it has already been noted, I hope that it will be eliminated before the spring, when it could easily spread and ravage the entire population of rabbits throughout the country with all the consequences that such an upsetting of natural balance can produce.
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