45
Department of Epizootic Diseases of Animals in Calcutta.
Control.—This department was as usual under my direct control
throughout the year.
2. 8taff.—There were 7 inspectors including the Chief Inspector,
Babu S. C. Sircar, throughout the year; out of the 6 inspectors, one
worked at the court to give professional advice to the trying Magistrate
in cruelty cases; of the remaining five, one worked as reserve inspector
and the other four inspectors were placed in charge of the Glanders
Districts within the jurisdiction of the Glanders and Farcy Act.
3. Working of the department.—The staff as a general routine
periodically inspected all the stables within their jurisdictions for the
detection of the equine cases coming under the Glanders and Farcy
Act. They also attended outbreaks of contagious diseases amongst
cattle and performed preventive inoculations when required. They
inspected cattle byres, gowkhanas of the Calcutta Corporation, and
other suburban municipalities lying within the Glanders area as well
as cattle marts at Kidderpore, Goabagan, Chitpur, etc., to enquire into
the prevalence of contagious diseases and to instruct people in the
scientific care and management of their livestock. As usual, they
inspected on board ship 2,190 horses, 44 cows and other animals in 7
vessels which arrived at the port of Calcutta prior to opening of the
Remount Depot. This department was responsible for the sale of sera
and other biological products of Mukteswar to local bodies and private
parties within the Glanders area and for advice given to the suburban
municipalities on the preventive inoculation of their animals during
outbreaks of cattle disease. There was a sale of Rs. 1,578-3 for sera
and vaccine including a small quantity of mallein during the year
under report.
4. Scheduled equine diseases.—During the year, there were two
very serious outbreaks of Glanders amongst horses in Calcutta and
suburbs. All the animals of the affected stables were seized and tested.
Some 278 horses came under the Glanders and Farcy Act, of which 42
were found to be affected with Glanders and 2 with surra, all of which
were destroyed excepting 3 which died of Glanders; 230 were discharged
and one remained under observation to the end of the year.
Rupees 2,645 were paid in compensation to the owners and Rs. 220-4
were realised from them as hospital fees.
5. There were severe outbreaks of influenza amongst some of the
horses of His Excellency the Governor's Body Guard and of the Calcutta
Mounted Police. Necessary precautions to prevent spread of the disease
amongst the healthy animals of the lines were adopted as well as treat-
ment of the affected.
6. Bovine
contagious
diseases.—Rinderpest,
blackquarter,
hæmorrhagic septicæmia and foot and mouth diseases were detected
during the year under report. The outbreaks were successfully con-
trolled by immediate attendance and timely inoculation by the inspec-
tors of this department; 2,640 head of animals were inoculated in 74
outbreaks with serum alone method against rinderpest.
7. At the request of the Netherlands Government, 50 Etwah goats
were examined prior to embarkation to Java and were found to be free
from any contagious or infectious disease.