134
animal industry at Washington, U. S. A., specimens of this worm for the favor
of their opinion on the subject, which will be made known later on. It is the
more probable that the worm may correspond with the American variety, as a
number of other animal parasites in this country do so. Notably is this the
case with a parasite which has been mentioned in the reports as exceedingly
common, causing-nodular disease of the intestine in the sheep, viz., Oesopho-
gotma Columbianum.
Echinococcosis.
530. The prevalence of echinococcosis amongst the cattle of the Punjab has
also been prominently brought forward, and points to the fact that a considera-
ble number of dogs and probably jackals are affected by the mature tapeworm
whose intermediary stage this is, viz., "Taenia echinococcus."
Anthrax.
531. With regard to the prevalence of anthrax, much evidence of a negative
character has been collected, which points to the fact that this disease is very
much less prevalent than it is generally believed to be. There is very little
doubt that the majority of cases returned under this heading are certainly not
due to the presence of the "Bacillus Anthracis." Errors of diagnosis account for
an enormous number of them. It has been found that the most varied diseases
are attributed to this malady, such as, surra, fluke, black quarter, malignant
sore throat, and in fact any disease which is at all puzzling and in which death
occurs. The simple fact that all the cases attributed to this disease where material
has been submitted to the Imperial Bacteriologist for opinion, have proved nega-
tive, points to this. In the present state of scientific knowledge it is not suffi-
cient for a man to state from a microscopic examination of a cadaver, that
animals are suffering from anthrax. A microscopical examination is occasion-
ally misleading, even in the hands of an experienced man. Proof beyond
dispute is easily obtained by bacteriological methods, and we have an Imperial
Bacteriological Laboratory presided over by one of the leading European ex-
perts. Yet, strange to say, this proof is not often sought. Endeavours
have been made to ensure the submission of material suitable for bacteriological
examination from animals reported to be suffering from the disease, and orders
have been issued by the Director, Army Remount Department, for this to be
done so far as the depôts are concerned. It is hoped that the orders of the
Government of India in the Military Department will also be issued, so that
all reported outbreaks of anthrax amongst army horses may be confirmed by
bacteriological examination which cannot but be satisfactory to the Veterinary
Surgeons. So far as cattle are concerned, there appears to be absolutely no
conclusive evidence of the existence of "Charbon bacteridien" occurring
amongst them at present. Steps have been taken to obtain material for exami-
nation from reputed cases, and this will, in a short time, be accomplished.
Malignant sore
throat.
532. Malignant sore throat has been noted in the report and its probable
causes mentioned. It appears likely that this disease is similar to "Barbone," a
disease which is very common in the buffalœ in Italy, but all evidence of this
similarity is at present purely speculative and is not put forward with any cer-
tainty.
Black Quarter.
533. Black quarter is found to be very common in certain districts, and
strangely enough so far as our present investigations go, less so in the swampy
marshy lands of Kurnal and Umballa than in the highly arid tract of Harriana.
Certain diseases have not been met with, notably pleuro-pneumonia contagiosa,
tuberculosis (although it doubtless exists), and verminous bronchitis. Tubercle
is doubtless common enough amongst cattle but probably far less so than in
England on account of the climate, and the fact that animals are kept so long
in the open air.
The chief reason why no record is forthcoming as to the prevalence of
this disorder, is that post-mortem examinations of bovines are seldom made by
persons qualified to detect the malady; and slaughter houses are not properly
inspected. Much valuable information has been collected regarding the local
vernacular names of the various diseases of stock, a matter of very considerable
importance, as may be gathered from the fact that although the existence of a
disease named "pheta" in Kurnal has been known for a considerable time, yet,
no one was aware, until the matter was investigated, that it was "surra".