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up the ghat. The grass, instead of being obtained from the plains, has for years been collected during
the cold season of the year (November to January) from the high-lands at an altitude of 4,500 to 5,500
feet; all corn and grain has been carefully cleaned and screened at Kathgodam (in order to avoid the
presence of rat excrement *) before being conveyed to the stages, and the creeper (Bel) has not been
utilized during the past two rainy seasons as fodder, as is the case on the Simla Dâk service.
It has been before mentioned that ' Surra' on this Dâk line usually appears first amongst the
animals standing at Bhugiaghat, some four miles from Kathgodam, on the Naini Tal Road ; the stables
being surrounded on three sides by fairly thick jungle, which, during the wet season, is filled with dense
vegetation.
Annually, soon after the setting in of the monsoon, the exact date varying in different years, fever
makes its appearance in the animals at this stable, and later at Kathgodam; most of these cases of fever
turning out to be 'Surra'. In 1896 all the animals, some twelve in number, succumbed to this disase
at Bhugiaghat, and subsequently these buildings were closed for the season. In previous years the
worst cases of fever only have been removed to the upper hills, but during the past one, for the first
time, a stringent system has been introduced. On an animal being observed to be the subject of fever,
its removal to a stable at an elevation of 4,500 to 5,500 feet has forthwith taken place, far away from
the chaukis containing any of the other Tonga horses. Three animals have only been transferred
during 1897, two of which, later, were found to be suffering from Surra, but no animals at any of the
other stages have shown signs of sickness, although in 1896, 92 per cent. of the equines succumbed to
this disease.
The small number of animals attacked this year may, on the other hand, prove to be a mere
coincidence; this year being what we term a non-Surra year. But in previous reports we have pointed
out that, according to statistics furnished †, the greater the rainfall the larger the number of cases of
Surra in most parts of India. Now, this year, the rainfall from the 1st June to the 30th of September
amounted to 114.93 inches at Naini Tal, and 107.90 inches at Kathgodam, and only two cases of Surra
occurred among the horses of the Tonga service ; and yet during the same period of 1896, a ' water¬
famine year', the Company lost 92 horses out of a total of 102. Another factor which has to be taken
into consideration is that numerous ' Ekka' and riding ponies are kept at Kathgodam, and these are
owned by natives who make use of no hygienic precautions to protect their animals from disease.
The greatest mortality amongst these animals also occurs during the years that the Tonga horses are
attacked, so that it would appear that both sets of animals are exposed to and contract the disease
from the same cause.
After eliminating the sources (fodder and water,) of the contagium of Surra to the Tonga animals,
only two are left for consideration—
(i) If an animal contracts the disease through the disobedience and stupidity of its syce, i. e.,
by allowing the animal under his charge to graze or drink by the way-side on the return journey
to its chauki, the disease once started may be spread by the inoculation (bite) of flies ‡.
(ii) Flies may perhaps occasionally take into their systems the Surra protozoon or its resting
form, when drinking the water of stagnant pools, and by this means be the carrier of the contagium
to the animal it bites! But it is much more likely that the flies obtain the soiled material in the
shape of blood from a previous case of Surra, either in equines, canines, or other animals.
It is, however, a sine qua non that if the Tonga animals are to be protected from Surra, all Ekka
and riding ponies plying for hire on the road between Naini Tal and Haldwani must be placed under
observation, and examined by a competent officer, during the Surra months ' June to end of October ',
and any animal presenting symptoms of fever must be isolated forthwith at a considerable distance, and
the blood microscopically examined, from time to time, until proved to be free from the disease.
In no other Tonga service in India with which I am acquainted do the animals receive the same
amount of supervision, care and attention as those under the Superintendent of the Rohilkand and
Kumaon Railway Tonga Service, Kathgodam.
Riding and Ekka Ponies.—At Kathgodam numerous riding and ekka ponies ply for hire. These
animals are owned by natives in the above mentioned station and Ranibág. During the rainy season
these ponies are liable to Surra in the same way that the Tonga ponies suffer. This disease has been
recognised for many years, especially previous to the time when the Rohilkand and Kumaon Railway
was opened for traffic. In 1895, the Tonga service lost only eight of their horses, but private owners
lost sixteen in Kathgodam alone. Unfortunately no supervision is exercised by the Police concerning
the number of animals kept for the above purposes ; consequently, no authentic statistics are forthcoming
with regard to the mortality.
Bareilly, 1894.—One outbreak of Surra occurred in and around Bareilly. All the animals suffering
from the disease died or were destroyed—(Raymond).
* "One pound and a half by weight of rat's excrement was found by the late Sergeant-Major Brady in a sack of corn at
Kathgodam".
† Punjab—(Saharanpur-Rájpur Dâk line).
‡ On September 5th, 1896, twelve horses standing in one shed were found, on microscopical examination of their blood, to be
the subjects of Surra.