8
of serum and virulent blood would not be acceptable to most of the people in the
plains, the Department has been investigating the value of the next best method,
i.e., the infection of inoculated animals by saliva or nasal discharge from sick ani-
mals. This method has been carried out in a large number of animals and it has
been observed that a little over 33 per cent. of them have shown a reaction chiefly
a rise in temperature. This means that these animals are permanently immune and
the method is an improvement on the serum alone method, but it is far behind the
double inoculation in value. Investigations have been continued in the treatment
of rinderpest by intravenous injections of Tartar Emetic. If given in the early stages
it has been found that the mortality is reduced considerably.
54 The treatment of Nasal Granuloma by the intravenous injection of Tartar
Emetic continued to give satisfactory results in the majority of cases. It is suspected
that the drug if used in too large doses may wake up dormant coccidioses and produce
a severe attack of the latter. Several hundreds of cattle were inspected on the old
Cherrapunjee road being marched from Assam through the Khasia Hills to the Sylhet
district. Several cases of Nasal Granuloma were found amongst these cattle.
The Sylhet district has been comparatively free of this disease up to date.
55. Besides the above, further investigations have been carried out in the treat-
ment of Anthrax, Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia, Epizootic Lymphangitis, Kumree, Kari
in elephants, Bursatee and bovine infectious Lymphangitis as opportunity occurred.
56. The total number of castrations has risen from 753 to 1,046. Castration of
weedy bulls is one of the most important steps in any scheme for the improvement
of local cattle. Assistants have been impressed with this fact and instructed to
carry on this work as much as possible. With the Burdizzio castrator properly
applied they have an advantage over all other methods. The Veterinary Assistant,
Tezpur, (Maulvi Azizuddin Sarkar), performed the largest number of bovine castration
(76), and the Veterinary Assistant, Sibsagar, (Maulvi Syed Ataul Haque), was second
with 55 bovine castrations. I regret to note that 21 Assistants did no bovine cas-
tration even after being specially asked to devote more attention to this branch.
57. The reporting of outbreaks of contagious disease still leaves much to be
desired. Much time is wasted in attending belated reports and when the Assistant
arrives, the disease having taken its toll is found to be dying out ; at other times
the reports are found to be erroneous and no contagious disease exists. It is surprising
to find how little assistance some villages will give to the Veterinary Assistant in
inoculating cattle. Inoculation work if done methodically can be pushed on rapidly
with plenty of assistance. But in too many cases time is wasted in trying to collect
cattle, etc. Ploughing, a puja or a hât day all interfere with the work and the
Assistant has to pay a second or even a third visit which should be unnecessary,
Veterinary committees that are anxious to increase the scope of Veterinary work
might help in solving these problems.
58. At each of the Agricultural shows at Maulvi Bazar and Nalbari a Veteri-
nary stall was arranged where instruments, specimens and diagrams were on view,
lectures and demonstrations were given and leaflets distributed. The people were
greatly interested and the efforts of the demonstrators seems to have met with much
success. It is to be hoped that more opportunities will be given in the future for
such work.
59. His Excellency the Governor of Assam visited the Veterinary Hospital
at Nalbari on the 16th February 1925.
60. The Hon'ble Minister of Education visited the following hospitals and
dispensaries :—
Gauhati, Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sibsagar, Jorhat, and Nowgong.
61. Office Staff.—Under supervision of the Head Clerk Babu Basanta Kumar
Chakrabarty the clerical staff have carried out their duties satisfactorily.
62. The Department is grateful to the District Officers and to the members of
the various local bodies and Dispensary Committees who have taken an interest in
Veterinary work and the general welfare of cattle.
W. HARRIS,
Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, Assam.