5
" Pheta" (Surra) caused its ravages during the rains of 1895 in 72 villages visited by Veterinary-
Captain Pease. The disease occurred in many other villages, especially in those in the Khadar (132 in
number) and Naili (64 in number) where it is said to occur annually ; but as so few horses are kept, the
donkey and ponies belonging to the Kumhárs (potters) only are attacked, and their loss does not attract
much attention. The losses from Surra in sixteen (16) villages in the above tahsil, when statistics
were forthcoming, were 48 per cent. horses, 40 per cent mules and 44 per cent. asses.
Many of the villages lost, in addition, a great number of their dogs from this disease ; in some
there was scarcely one remaining. The canines appear to have contracted the malady through eating
diseased carcasses.
It was thought to be more than likely that the villages in the Indri and Pipli Tahsils, sustained
severe losses from the same causes as the above mentioned—the former lying between the Western
Jumna Canal and the Jumna river, the latter on the border of the Amballa. Surra is known to be
enzootic in the latter locality. Surra has been most prevalent in the north-east corner of the Karnal
District, part of the Karnal Tahsil lying in the angle formed by the Umballa-Karnal and Karnal-Meerut
roads, that is, between 77° and 78° longitude, and 29° 50" and 30" north latitude.
In this locality alone no less than 10 villages are known to have suffered very considerable losses.
The general opinion, however, is that nearly all the villages in this tahsil have suffered more or less from
the ravages of this disease.
During the season 1896 the rainfall was considerably under the normal quantity, consequently the
outbreaks of this disease are very few in comparison with those recorded after a wet monsoon. Three
villages are reported to have suffered from the malady losing eleven horses.
In September 1896 the Surra hæmatozoon was found in the blood of two mares at the village of
Tikri some four miles from the Government Depôt, Karnal.
During August and October 1896 two villages of the Karnal Tahsil suffered from Surra, losing a
couple of horses.
During October and November 1897 Surra was reported to be present in the town of Karnal and
several of the surrounding villages.
" The name by which this plague is known here is ' Phenta' or ' Pheta-ka-dard ;' in some parts
of the district it is spoken of as ' Tarai,' whilst camels affected are said to be ' Phitgaya.'—(Captain
Pease).
Report on an outbreak of Surra at Karnal Remount Depôt.
At the latter end of the year 1895 Surra broke out amongst the horses and bullocks of the Gov-
ernment Remount Depôt, Karnal. Fever of an intermittent type was also present among the animals.
It appeared alone, as well as complicating most other disorders, following operations, and even simple
punctured wounds. In the Surra cases the temperatures were changed from the ordinary type. It
was further ascertained that the Karnal fever is capable of being reproduced in healthy animals by
inoculation of soiled blood. Nineteen horses in all succumbed to symptoms of Surra, in nine of which
the trypanosoma was microscopically demonstrated. The rains in 1895 were unusually early, 11.62
inches falling in June. The first cases of the disease probably occurred on the 30th August and the
first death on the 20th September 1895, the last case to succumb being on January 8th, 1896. All
the Surra cases with two exceptions had been inmates for varying periods of one or other of Paddocks
II, III and V ; the two remaining animals, farm cart horses, occupied with others both Paddosks III
and V. The majority of the cases in which the organism was not examined for microscopically; are
said to have succumbed to fever, fever and lymphangitis and debility, and all were taken ill and.
died during the Surra months, so that it is more than probable that had the blood of any or all of
them been microscopically examined, the organism of Surra would have been found. On the 15th
December the Surra organism was discovered in the blood of two Hissar bullocks. One of these
animals, with a daily variation of 10° F. in the temperature recorded, succumbed, the second survived
and was alive two years later. In both these cases Surra was complicated with Filariasis and
intermittent fever.
The Depôt Estate was part of one continuous plain, and for years had been intersected by roads,
but the soil and conditions are nearly the same throughout. In some portions of the land, especially
Paddock II, the appearances in December show that during the rains it is subjected to inundation,
the land being water-logged and boggy, where grasses of the rankest description thrive. There are
numerous ponds about the Depôt, but the largest and most important is in Paddock II. In the water
from this tank infusoria were very numerous, and occasionally nematode eggs, while in one specimen a
species of Acarus was demonstrated.
Certain suggestions were submitted with a report dealing with the cause of the diseases present on
the Depôt Estate, chief among which were the following. The filling in and enclosing of all ponds was,
paramount, to be followed by the free drainage of all Paddocks which were water-logged. All irriga-
tion in the Depôt was pointed out as undesirable, and it was doubtful whether ploughing certain pad-
docks would improve matters. Most of the above improvements were carried out and for the past two
and a half years no further cases of Surra have occurred in equines or bovines.
B 2204—2