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461, Portions of Veterinary Captain Pease's report on Surra in the Karnal
district, are equally applicable to other districts in the Punjab and North-
Western Provinces, I cannot therefore do better than quote certain passages
in this officer's own words.
(i) Recognition of the disease by the natives.—" The simple fact of its
being so well known to every one in the place who knows
anything about horses, to camelmen, and indeed to the majority
of people, who have little to do with these animals, points to its
extensive ravages, and general distribution: for it is not a very
usual thing for the people to have the symptoms of a disease at
the tip of their tongue, and in this place I do not think I ever
asked any one whether they knew anything about it without
receiving an answer in the affirmative."
(ii) With regard to the season of occurrence—
"The disease is purely one of the Chaumasa or the rainy season. It
generally occurs after a considerable quantity of rain has fallen
and the country has been flooded for sometime and new grass
has sprung up. It commences to show itself most commonly to-
wards the end of August and remains prevalent in horses until
the middle of December. It continues longer in both mules and
donkeys and I found numerous cases still going on late in Jan-
uary
"
(iii) Geographical distribution—
"The distribution of this malady seems to be entirely influenced by the
physical aspect of the country. It appears to be chiefly influenc-
ed by the occurrence of floods and inundations, being far more
prevalent in those parts of the country where these occur, than
in the higher and drier portions. It is far more common in the
vicinity of the rivers and canals than it is in the dry portions
of the Nardak for example
"
On reference again to the map, we note that the most striking Surra area
in the South, is that bordering on either side of the river Jamna, extending
for a varying distance to the east and west of it respectively. In addition
to this tract, being subject to annual inundation during the rainy season, it is
waterlogged from the river overflow water, and soakage also takes place on the
western side from the Jamna canal and its branches (Delhi and Rhotak), while
on the eastern side, that canal (East Jamna) is at fault.
In the Pipli Tahsil of the Umballa district, we find the Sarasvati and
Markanda rivers running from north-east to south-west and the Sirhind and
west Jamna connecting canal crossing it, in the opposite direction. A portion
of the Patiala State jutting into the Ludhiana district which tract is called the
"Rakh"—is watered by a branch of the Sirhind canal.
The Jullundur and Hoshiarpur districts, would not appear to be inundat-
ed generally to the same extent that many others are. The southern limit of
the former however is subject to flooding by the Sutlej, and the north-east
and south-east boundaries of the latter are similarly affected, some parts
are favorable for the development of the infusorian. Along the Beas and Sultej
are strips of alluvial land over which the waters spread when the rivers are in
flood. Between the town of Dasoya and the Beas there extends a long tract of
marsh land about a mile and a half in breadth and known by the name of the
"Chhamb." It begins at Huminatpur and running parallel to the river
passes on into Kapurthala territory. It is fed from several torrents from the
hills. The flooding commences in June and July, from which time the ground
remains under water till September, after which it gradually dries up. This
tract is exceedingly unhealthy. These tracts are reported to be subjected to
very severe outbreaks of Surra.
The information with regard to Surra in the Sialkote, Gurdaspore and
Amritsar districts is as yet limited, but what is known, points to the fact that
the disease is more sporadic in character, and the outbreaks are more circum-
scribed.