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Rinderpest.—Was the cause of severe losses in many districts, particularly in the lower
Chindwin, Pakôkka, Myingyan, Meiktilla, Ruby Mines, Sagaing, and Bhamo districts.
In the Lower Chindwin district the cattle in the Mintaingbin, Salingyi, Mônywa, and
Kane townships suffered severely; the disease was prevalent during most part of the year
and in June some 950 deaths were reported.
In the Shwebo district the disease gave trouble throughout the year, more especially in
the Myedu, Sheinmaga, and Thazé townships.
The disease was particularly bad in the Pakôkku district during the months of June,
July and August. Over 8,000 cattle are reported to have succumbed to the plague.
Pakôkku
Yesagyo
Myaing
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
4,840
2,533
1,062
The disease was brought down from the Chindwin; and from Pakôkku it spread to the
Minbu and Myingyan districts. During the first half of the year cattle plague was very bad
in the Momeit State of the Ruby Mines district, the Deputy Commissioner reporting that
"half the ploughing cattle in Momeit have died of rinderpest this hot weather." The disease
was also very prevalent along the Myingyan-Meiktila border.
In Sagaing there was a very severe outbreak in the Myinmu township in November,
About 2,000 head of cattle died.
Anthrax and charbon symplomatique.—Outbreaks of these diseases were reported from the
Lower Chindwin, Meiktila, and Magwe districts. These diseases fortunately did little mis-
chief.
Foot-and-mouth disease was reported from four districts, namely, the Upper and Lower
Chindwin, Yamethin, and Myingyan. The only outbreak worth recording occurred in
Myingyan in the mouth of July. Many animals died.
NORTHERN SHAN STATES.
The Shan States were very free of contagious cattle disease.
An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease was reported during the month of December, but
subsided by the end of January. During August, surra was prevalent amongst ponies.
SOUTHERN SHAN STATES.
There were two outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease reported from these states, one in
July and the other in December. They caused little loss.
Unreliability of
Statistics.
545. The unreliability of the statistics relating to cattle disease has been
forcibly brought to notice in the majority of the reports which have been sub-
mitted on the subject of the prevalence of contagious plagues amongst animals.
In the Annual Administration Report of last year I remarked:—
"The statistics are, in the majority of cases, absolutely unreliable and misleading. My own experience of
the reports received from districts, is that they are practically valueless, and the number of deaths would have to
be multiplied by many thousands to reach a figure representing the true total."
Examples of the unreliability of the statistics were given, and the reports
submitted this year only too fully confirm, what was said on the subject.
In the Kurnal district last year, not a single case of surra was reported, but
the enquiries made this year show that the disease appeared in 185 villages and
caused tremendous losses.
Umballa reported 204 deaths from rinderpest whereas I found on enquiry
in the district that more deaths than this had occurred in many single villages
and that a very serious epidemic had passed over the district carrying off
about one third of the cattle and causing considerable distress. The deaths are
estimated at over 50,000, and the disease has continued during the year, cases
being seen during my visit.
In the report received from the Provincial Superintendent, showing out-
breaks of cattle disease, it is stated that a total of 730 deaths from rinderpest
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