2
PART II.—TREATMENT OF DISEASE.
6. Table II shows the number of deaths from contagious diseases reported during
the year. Reports have been received from all the districts of Assam except Lushai
Hills where there is no agency available for the collection of statistics ; but the
Deputy Commissioner of the district observes that the mortality amongst animals
from contagious disease is very small, and that during the year it is chiefly due to
foot-and-mouth disease imported from Cachar.
7. The total mortality reported from contagious diseases is :—
Equines
Bovines
Others
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
1911-12.
170
44,991
3.071.
1910-11.
71
87,530
1,889
8. The figures have been checked as far as possible by the local Veterinary Assist-
ants, but owing to the difficulties under which they are collected they are only
approximately correct. Still they give a fairly accurate idea of the extent of disease
when compared with former years.
Equines.
9. Glanders.—There were 6 deaths reported from two districts and diagnosis was
confirmed in all cases. Rupees 135 were paid as compensation to the owners of the
animals. The system of granting compensation continued to work well and facilitates
destruction of diseased animals and disinfection of stables.
10. Anthrax.—Forty-three deaths were reported from 4 districts during the
year against 14 of the previous year. The diagnosis was confirmed by microscopical
examination in all the districts.
11. Surra.—There were 28 deaths reported from 5 districts. In the previous
year, 26 deaths were reported from 8 districts. Diagnosis was confirmed by microsco-
pical examination in all the cases except in the Garo Hills where there is no Veterinary
Assistant in the district. Surra has been scheduled under the Glanders and Farcy
Act in the districts of Goal para, Nowgong and Lakhimpur.
12. Dourine and Epizootic Lymphangitis.—No case of Dourine and Epizootic
Lymphangitis was reported during the year.
13. Other contagious diseases.—The number of deaths from " other diseases " is
93 against 31 of the previous year, but no details are available.
Bovines.
14. Rinderpest.—This disease has been reported from all the districts of the
Province except Lushai Hills, and caused 20,614 deaths against 16,393 in the previous
year. The districts of Cachar, Sylhet, Darrang, Nowgong and Sibsagar were the most
seriously affected ; the heaviest mortality is reported from Sibsagar. Last year Now-
gong reported the heaviest mortality. The disease was of a more virulent type this
year and the mortality amongst the infected animals was much higher.
15. Foot-and-mouth disease.—The disease has been reported from 10 districts and
caused 6,102 deaths. In the previous year 6,072 deaths were reported from the same
number of districts. The heaviest mortality has again been reported from Nowgong,
Darrang and Sibsagar.
Foot-and-mouth disease as it occurs in India is not a very fatal disease. With
ordinary care and simple treatment the mortality is about 1 per cent. When no
precautions are taken and no treatment is adopted many animals die because the
wounds become infested with maggots and the animal really dies from Gangrene and
Septicæmia. During the year under report foot-and-mouth disease has been much less
prevalent than in the previous year although the number of deaths reported is
practically the same.
16. Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia.—There were 7,433 deaths reported from this
disease from 9 districts during the year. In the previous year 5,479 deaths were reported
from 8 districts. For the last 5 years Kamrup reports the heaviest mortality. The
diagnosis by microscopic examination was confirmed in the districts of Sylhet, Goalpara,
Kamrup, Nowgong and Sibsagar.
17. Blackquarter.—Blackquarter was reported from 4 districts and caused 285
deaths against 99 deaths in the previous year. No report of the prevalence of the
disease was previously received in my office and no action could be taken as to the
diagnosis.