Sheffield Independent – Monday 25 February 1889
Serious Outbreak of Swine Fever.
At Doncaster, on Saturday, Thomas Anstock, farm manager, Conisbro’, was charged with not having reported swine fever on the 16th inst.
Superintendent Blake, who is an inspector under the Contagious Diseases Act, deposed that at the previous court day he received information which caused him to go over to Conisbro’, to a farm belonging to Mr. George Appleyard, and for whom the defendant acted as manager.
He saw there 18 pigs— nine appeared to be healthy, seven were infected with swine fever very badly, and two were dead and buried. Since his visit four more had died. One of the pigs had died in the street at Rotherham, and that was how he got information.
The defendant said he was not aware that the pigs had swine fever, he had never seen it in his life before.
The magistrates made an order £8 11s to be paid, viz., £1 for each animal diseased, and 31s. costs.