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The pile of mail which greeted us upon returning from holidays included a brown manilla envelope from the House. of Com- mons. What could it be? I promptly opened the envelope and inside found a copy of Bill C-36, autographed by Walter Baker, MP for Nepean -- Carleton and dated July 1, 1980. For those who were already on vacation by July 1, Bill C-36 is an act recognizing the national an- them of Canada and same into force on Canada's Birthday. What a surprise to find my own copy of the new words and music to our national anthem, complete with two punched holes to insert into my memorabilia binder, no doubt. There are some changes, by the way, to the words of "O Canada". School teachers, Roger Doucet and Ottawa Little Theatre patrons, please take note. Could x Suzanne Schroeter's Scrapbook. ""O Canada" revised "newspaper deadline with essay cay there be anything more embarass+ ing than flubbing one's own na+ tional anthem? Everything is the same to "True north strong and free". Then it goes: 'From far and wide, O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. God keep our land, glorious and} free! O Canada, we stand on guard for thee, O Canada, we stand on guard for thee."' With those musical notes, I amy laying down my "Columnist's pen for a while. I plan to return to} university in the fall as a part-time student and will replace my and exam deadlines! But as soon as something wacky happens to me (and it usually does) you'll read about it in my now-and-then column. Wish me luck! METCALFE PHARMACY LTD. Metcalfe -- REGULAR HOURS Monday through Friday: Saturday: 10 a.m. 821-1224 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. to 5 p.m. °Wed./Fri. A.M., °Tues./Wed./Fri. P.M., Ages 4 plus FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CALL: Registrar -- Linda Crichton 821-3905 President -- Joan Bruce-Nibogi 821-1756 Creative Play and Socialization Children Ages 2 1/2 - 5 OPEN REGISTRATION FOR SEPTEMBER CLASSES (limited space available) eTues./Thurs. A.M., Ages 2 1/2 - 3 Ages 3-3 1/2 CARTAGE LTD. ® Tandem Trucks @ Loaders ® Dump and Hopper Trailers @Snow Removal Rentals RUSSELL Lloyd 445-2820 © Equipment Charlie 445-5344 Page 9 The threat of brucellosis By Anne Davelaar Harold McNeely, veterinary technician with the federal Department of Agriculture, lean- ed over a stall at Embrun Livestock Exchange one morning and jabbed a long needle into a cow's tail. "I'm taking a blood sample to test for brucellosis," he explained. Brucellosis, a contagious disease, is caused by bacteria. Various forms of brucellosis af- fect sheep, goats, pigs and horses, but the most common type strikes cattle. Brucellosis threatens the health and budget of both farmer and consumer. Mr. McNeely is one of the federal and provincial agricultural employees who help safeguard the farmer and con- sumer by battling brucellosis and other livestock diseases. It's a threat because it can spread in various ways and because its early signs are slight or even absent, taking the farmer by surprise. If the farmer buys an infected cow, he could contribute to the spread of bruceléosis in his herd without knowing it. When this cow aborts or gives birth, the bacteria she passes may be spread throughout the pasture, yards and barns. This eventually pollutes the feed and water, causing other cat- tle to pick up the disease. Dogs and foxes may spread the disease by carrying aborted calves from one farm to another. Trucks which have not been properly cleaned out and disinfected after carrying diseased animals can be another cause. Even contaminated clothing and footwear can spread brucellosis. It can affect human health. The farmer. can catch the disease through contaet with his livestock. And the consumer can become in- fected from tainted dairy pro- ducts. Antoninun Pius, Ancient Roman emperor, was reported to have died from a fever brought on by eating Alpine cheese. In human beings the disease is called undulant fever because the body temperature goes up and down. Doctors treat the fever with antibiotics, but it may become chronic. Fortunately, brucellosis -- causes a very low human death rate. Human beings can be cured but, cattle can not. The farmer is in for a shock when laboratory tests confirm that his herd has brucellosis. An immediate quarantine is slapped on his entire herd under the federal Animal Contagious Diseases Act, preven- ting him from doing business. The farmer must promptly ship the in- fected animals for slaughter, although this is not a total loss, because the government pays him compensation for each animal in- volved. Only when two con- secutive tests show the herd to be free of brucellosis, does the government lift the quarantine. Workers like Harold McNeely vaccinate calves two to six months old, to increase resistance to the disease. The vaccination process was started in the early 1940s, when the federal government estimated that 11% of Canada's cattle population had brucellosis. Although that figure had dropped to about 5% by 1956, vaccination alone could not wipe out the disease. "Vaccination will control abor- tion, but not the disease," says McNeely. A national test and slaughter program was introduced in 1957, and today brucellosis is found in less than .2% of Canada's cattle, according to the federal Depart- ment of Agriculture. Since 1966, out a market cattle testing pro- 'gram at livestock exchanges such as Embrun, to keep a close check on the disease. ° 'We test down to 24 months in brucellosis," McNeely says, as he withdraws the long needle from the cow's tail. Using a blood test that takes about four minutes to complete, the technician discovers. whether or not the cow in question can be put up for sale. While working on the blood sample, he explains that this cow will most likely be free of brucellosis, since he has seldom had a positive test-card result. "The present status of Ontario _is quite good,"' he says. However, on-farm testing of herds remains necessary. Therefore, this fall McNeely and his associates will be doing area-testing in the United Counties of Prescott and Russell, as well as in Carleton county. Outside the » equipment- crammed cubicle, the cow is still bellowing. But before you sym- pathize too much with that cow getting her tail jabbed, remember that a little pain now, saves a lot of pain later. Or, as the saying goes: 'An ounce (gram?) of prevention (kilogram?!) of cure'! ca agricultural officials have carried is worth a pound: ZANE & LINDA THORPE Meadowbrook Quarter Ho VSS" Training Sho. ing @ Sales Specializing in Wester leasure | & Reining R.R. 1, SARSFIELD, ONT. (613) 835-2211 10 a.m. - 11 p.m. Maria & Biancas Gift Shop "A little bit of everything" Expecting French cards soon School Supplies Special AS OF AUG. 11, 1980 200 SHEET REFILL $1.49 12 LAURENTIAN PENCIL CRAYONS $3.49 COIL EXERCISE BOOKS $.99 VENUS H.B. PENCILS 10 FOR $1.29 5 BIC BALL POINT PENS $1.49 CANVAS TOTE BAGS $3.59 Business Hours Monday - Saturday a ee ee ae