4
more promptly before the outbreaks assume large proportions, and to
deal with them when they occur in the riparian and hill districts to
enable this Department to bring this disease under really satisfactory
control. This statement is supported by the fact that animals protected
last year in the affected districts did not contract the disease. In Noa-
khali district, where the disease again appeared, there were only 824
deaths against 7,669 in the previous year.
Foot and Mouth disease.—This disease caused 618 deaths in the pro-
vince during the year under report as against 722 deaths in the preced-
ing year, the highest mortality being 259 reported from Howrah dis-
trict.
Hæmorrhagic septicæmia.—Four thousand and forty-four deaths
against 3,989 are reported. The distribution was irregular. Burdwan
3,366 (West Bengal), Murshidabad 229 and Dinajpur 294 (North Ben-
gal). These are adjoining and form one group. In East Bengal,
Dacca 299 and Bakarganj 225 are widely separated. In this disease also
the losses could be greatly reduced in this province if there was suffi-
cient trained staff to concentrate on the application of existing methods
of control.
Anthrax.—It is remarkable that this disease has shown an enor-
mous increase throughout India during the last three years. This is
indicated in the serum distributed by the Imperial Veterinary Research
Institute which has gone up from thirty to ninety thousand doses. If
nothing is done the increase of this disease will have serious adverse
effects on trade on animal products.
Anthrax was reported from 14 districts, and Dacca alone accounted
for 1,128 out of the total of 1,561 deaths reported. The disease appeared
as a virulent, outbreak in two separate areas in the Dacca district.
Some 40 odd human cases are reported of which 8 proved fatal. Special
concentration of staff and special measures were necessary to stop the
disease extending. The Additional District Magistrate issued "stand-
still" orders on cattle and goats and their hides and skins for 60 days
under section 144, Indian Penal Code. Special Anthrax Spore Vaccine
was obtained from Burma where it had recently been introduced for
cattle. These two measures stopped the outbreak. The "standstill"
checked the spread of the disease whilst the vaccine was imported and
widespread inoculation carried out. The vaccine gives protection for
12 months. As a result of this experience arrangements are being
made to apply the vaccine method to all outbreaks in future, using
vaccine now obtainable from Imperial Veterinary Research Institute.
Blackquarter.—This caused 518 deaths as against 178 in the preced-
ing year, the district of Murshidabad accounting for 50 per cent. of the
total deaths.
Other contagious diseases.—Three thousand four hundred and forty-
four deaths were reported under this head as compared with 850 deaths
in the previous year, the highest being 2,285 reported from Bakarganj
district. Accurate details of these are not available.
Other causes.—According to the suggestions of the Imperial Coun-
cil of Agricultural Research a new column. titled "other causes" was
included in Table II this year and 2,312 deaths were reported under
this head. Again accurate details are not available.