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CHAPTER III.
Treatment of diseases.
37. Incidence of Contagious Diseases.—If the incidence
of contagious cattle diseases in Bihar and Orissa is traced
through the annual report figures, it will appear that since
the year 1927-28, there has been a marked tendency for its
decline except that of foot and mouth disease. During the
course of the past eight years, the figure of 8,394 outbreaks
reported in 1927-28 has come down to 4,158, or to less than
half the number, in 1934-35. A study of the disease maps
attached to the reports will also show that the outbreaks of
all the deadly forms of diseases such as rinderpest, hæmorrha-
gic septicæmia, anthrax and blackquarter have considerably
declined in extent compared with the outbreaks of the previous
years. This is another instance which indicates that these
diseases are being kept, as much as possible, under control.
In spite of the satisfactory condition just stated, rinder-
pest has been reported in all the districts except Shahabad,
Cuttack and Puri, while hæmorrhagic septicæmia in all but
one viz., Angul. The condition of Sambalpur is reported to
have been as bad as in the year 1933-34. Foot and mouth disease
prevailed all over the Province. The total number of deaths
recorded in all the outbreaks amounted to more than fourteen
thousands. While much allowance should be made for better
reporting of the mortalities in recent years, the number of
deaths should also be reduced by more intensive measures,
and this can only be done, other things being the same, by
strengthening the touring staff of the department. For the
last five years or so, very few posts of touring veterinary
assistant surgeons could be sanctioned, while it was most
unfortunate that some local bodies abolished a number
of the third posts on financial grounds. In order that the
activities of the department can be made more readily acces-
sible to the raiyats the question of increasing its subordinate
staff, especially the touring veterinary surgeons, should
receive the earliest attention of local bodies.
38. During the year, altogether 4,158 outbreaks were
reported, and in those outbreaks, out of a total number of
122,840 animals affected, 14,539 died, as compared with 5,865
outbreaks, 108,454 attacks and 14,973 deaths recorded during
1933-34. Foot and mouth disease was responsible for 1,777
outbreaks affecting 95,984 animals out of the total number.
Compared with the previous year's figures, the number of out-
breaks further decreased by 1,707, although foot and mouth
11
disease was more widespread during the year under report.
The number of deaths also decreased by 434.
39. Of the total number of 4,158 outbreaks reported,
3,572 were attended by the staff which gives a percentage of
86 attendances, against 90 and 95 respectively of the previous
two years, 1933-34 and 1932-33. This decrease was apparently
due to the fact that in addition to their attendances at field
veterinary dispensaries, the touring veterinary assistant
surgeons in many districts were also required to pay greater
attention to goat virus work from the commencement of the
cold season. Unless the number of touring assistants is
increased there is every likelihood of a gradual falling off in
attendances of actual outbreaks as goat virus work pro-
gresses,—a vital point to consider.
40. The following is a distribution of the statistics of the
outbreaks, deaths, etc., according to the area and cattle
population of each range:—
Range.
North Bihar ...
Central ...
Orissa ...
Area in
square
mile.
20,457
33,844
28,864
83,165
Livestock.
10,094,441
10,120,105
9,089,537
29,304,083
No. of
outtbreaks
reported.
560
1,624
1,974
* 4,158
No of
outbreaks
attended,
552
1,575
1,445
3,572
No. of
animals
affected.
5,905(a)
22,855(b)
94,080(c)
122,840
No. of
deaths
recorded.
2,139
9,184
3,216(d)
14.539
* The figures are according to the census of 1930.
(a) Includes 1,337 cases of foot and mouth disease.
(b)
(c)
Do.
Do.
6,998
87,649
ditto.
ditto.
(d)
Do.
176 deaths under "equines" and "others".
41. Reporting of diseases.—From the figures available
it can safely be assumed that a distinct improvement has been
effected in the reporting of diseases by the Police, as out of
4,158 outbreaks, 3,448 were reported by this agency. It is
hoped that the efficiency now attained will continue in future.
During the year 44 chaukidars were either rewarded or
recommended for reward, for doing good work for the depart-
ment, while 94 were either punished or reported for
punishment, on account of unsatisfactory work.
Equines.
42. (a) Glanders and Farcy.—No case of Glanders or
Farcy was brought to notice during the year.
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(b) Dourine.—This disease was also not reported.
(c) Anthrax.—An outbreak of equine anthrax occurred
among the Mounted Military Police horses at Jamshedpur in
course of which 3 animals died of the disease. The local
veterinary assistant surgeon and the inspector attended the
outbreak, while the Assistant Director and myself visited the
place and gave necessary instructions. The outbreak subsided
by the close of the year, after the remaining horses were
inoculated with anti-anthrax serum.
As Singhbhum is an anthrax district and the disease
occurred at the Mounted Military Police lines more than once
in the past, it was considered necessary to have the situation
surveyed and an especial enquiry as to the source of the infec-
tion made by the (Veterinary) Disease Investigation Officer.
The Officer made a searching investigation, and from the report
he submitted, it appeared that as already held, grass as suppli-
ed by a local contractor was responsible for the recurrence of
the infection. It may not be out of place here to quote from
the officer's report as follows : —
" From a broad consideration of all the facts available,
the grass (obtained from a local contractor who purchases it
from the local grass-cuts and then sells it to the Police authori-
ties) would appear to be the source of mischief in the outbreak,
and this is in accord with the general known facts about the
epidemiology of the disease. As already stated, grass was
obtained from very questionable sources, and it is possible that
a portion of the consignment on which the animals were fed
immediately prior to attack, was heavily infected. Due to the
improper disposal of carcasses in this country which are lying
about in the fields, infection of pastures with anthrax spores
is not a remote contingence, and we know that once spores have
formed, they may continue to live for years to come."
Supply of green grass from the local dealers was altogether
stopped, and it was recommended that the horses should be
kept on hay from the Military Grass Farm and on concentrates.
The horses numbering 24 have subsequently been protected by
the (Veterinary) Disease Investigation Officer with a new
vaccine (anthrax spore vaccine) prepared by the Veterinary
Research Officer of Burma.
The disease was not' reported in the other two ranges,
North Bihar and Central.
(d) Surra.—Only 1 case of equine surra was reported
from Bikramganj (Shahabad) which was cured by treatment
with naganol.
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(e) Other Equine (Contagious) Diseases.—The following
were the diseases reported under this head :—
Strangles.—14 cases of strangles were reported without
any casualty in the Districts of Saran, Champaran, Darbhanga,
Purnea and Bhagalpur (North).
Tetanus.—3 deaths were recorded from this disease,
2 in Bhagalpur and 1 in Monghyr.
Rabies.—1 death from equine rabies was recorded in
Monghyr.
Bovine.
43. Rinderpest.—As mentioned before, rinderpest was
prevalent in all the districts except Shahabad, Cuttack and
Puri. The district of Santal Parganas suffered most and alone
accounted for 3,504 deaths i.e., about one-third of the
total mortalities recorded from this disease during the year.
Monghyr, Gaya, Sambalpur and Hazaribagh also contributed
heavily in point of deaths, while so far as the figures indicate,
the two districts Saran and Balasore, suffered least of all, the
former recording 3 and the latter 5 deaths only. According
to the Assistant Director in charge of the Range, the condition
of Balasore and Angul Districts was highly satisfactory so
far as rinderpest was concerned.
44. Altogether 1,666 outbreaks of rinderpest were reported
during the year, and in them, out of 21,171 attacks, 10,531
deaths were recorded, as compared with 1,349 outbreaks, 19,129
attacks and 8,467 deaths recorded from the same cause during
the year 1933-34. The increase in the total number under all
these heads was mainly due to the exceptional virulence of the
disease in the Santal Parganas.
45. As the result of a flood in August 1934, a severe
epidemic of rinderpest was reported in South Monghyr, and
in compliance with the wishes of the Chairman, District Board,
extra staff was deputed. The epidemic subsided after the
necessary preventive measures were taken.
46. Foot and mouth disease.—From the statistics
available, the North Bihar and the Central Range districts
were comparatively less affected with foot and mouth disease
but its recrudescence was exceedingly great in the Orissa Range
where as many as 87,649 cattle suffered from it. It is, however,
satisfactory to note that the death rate was very small, as in
the whole Province, out of a total number of 95,984 animals
attacked, only 143 deaths were recorded, compared with 81,763
attacks and 211 deaths recorded in the previous year. In Sam-
balpur and Balasore the deaths were mostly confined to calves.
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47. Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia.—Though hæmorrhagic
septicæmia affected all the districts of the Province except one,
the condition of cattle in so far as this disease was concerned,
must be called very satisfactory, as only 584 outbreaks were
reported, and in them, 2,448 deaths were recorded, compared
with 1,179 outbreaks and 4,957 deaths in the year 1933-34.
545 outbreaks were attended during the year.
48. Blackquarter.—Blackquarter was also less prevalent,
as it affected 7 districts only, against 17, recording 73 deaths
out of 92 attacked in 16 outbreaks, as compared with 425 deaths
and 499 attacks in 84 outbreaks in the year 1933-34. The map
will show that blackquarter which some years back, e.g. in
1927-28, was most conspicuous in the North Bihar Districts,
specially in Saran and Champaran, has almost disappeared
from those areas, due chiefly to the new method of serum -
aggressin protection, little known in those years. With the
ready use of this method it is not too much to expect that the
disease will be kept under control throughout the Province
ultimately.
49. Anthrax.—Ten districts, viz., Darbhanga, Gaya,
Hazaribagh, Palamau, Santal Parganas, Cuttack, Sambalpur,
Singhbhum, Manbhum and Ranchi were affected with bovine
anthrax during the year, against 9 in 1933-34. 44 outbreaks
recording 246 deaths were brought to notice, as compared with
19 outbreaks and 104 deaths recorded in the preceding year.
All the outbreaks were attended. Particulars as to the
occurrence of these outbreaks were regularly supplied to the
Consul General of America, Calcutta, every month.
50. Other contagious diseases.—922 deaths were recorded
under this head, against 279 in the year 1933-34. Out of
these, as many as 648 deaths were caused by a fluke disease
(Liverfluke) which unfortunately spread over the low lying
areas north of Muzaffarpur viz., in Minapur, Katra and
Belsand thanas, and 1,567 animals were affected in 37 villages.
When the disease was brought to notice, action was taken by
the Range officer immediately by deputing a special staff to the
areas in question. (Veterinary) Disease Investigation Officer,
Mr. Sahai who was also deputed, diagnosed the disease, and
prescribed a special course of treatment. Out of 947 animals
thus treated, only 28 died, and the rest were cured.
The remaining 274 deaths were caused by such diseases as
bovine surra (98), ephemeral fever (19), bovine tetanus (5),
Johne's disease (3), bovine piroplasmosis (2), bovine rabies (7),
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Tuberculosis (1) and by some other diseases which could not be
diagnosed.
Others.
51. 160 deaths were brought to notice comprising 54 from
fowl cholera, 51 from rabies, 5 from ovine tetanus, 1 from
canine distemper and the rest were unclassified.
Out of 12 cases of rabies in dogs in the North Bihar
Range, 6 were protected with antirabic vaccine. Five brains
from suspected rabid dogs were despatched from the North
Bihar Range to the Pasteur Institute with the result that 4
of them proved positive to negri bodies.
An outbreak of parasitic infection (Bilharziosis), was
discovered in Singhbhum District. The (Veterinary) Disease
Investigation Officer thoroughly investigated the disease and
advised preventive measures. A detailed account of this out-
break will be found under section " Investigation ".
Preventive Inoculations.
52. The position of preventive inoculations greatly
improved during the year due to the clearing up by the District
Boards of their old outstandings and reduction in the price
of certain Muktesar products. The goat blood virus and goat
tissue virus methods have since come to our aid, further redu-
cing the cost per inoculation against rinderpest. With these
advantages at its disposal, the department has been able not
only to return to its original position but also to give protection
to the greatest number of animals since the Province was
created, with the exception of only two years i.e., 1928-29 and
1929-30 when epidemics were at their highest. It is also most
gratifying to note that the District Boards did not consider it
generally advisable to reduce their respective budget grants for
sera and vaccines at the very outset in view of the reduction
in the cost of Muktesar products. Only the District Board,
Gaya, have so far agreed to a reduction on the recommendation
of the department as they had some surplus funds to utilise,
and they have used the actual savings on the creation of an
additional post of touring veterinary assistant surgeon.
Altogether 316,772 animals were protected during the
year by the different methods in 784 outbreaks, as compared
with 189,417 animals protected in 765 outbreaks in 1933-34.
Out of the inoculated, 641 animals died showing percentage of
a little over .2 mortality. In addition, 49 horses were also
protected by anti-anthrax serum in 2 outbreaks in the Orissa
Range.
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According to ranges, 81,327 inoculations were performed
in the North Bihar Range, 187,789 in the Central and 47,705
in the Orissa Range. Details of the work according to each
district and disease are given in Table III.
53. Rinderpest.—Protection was given by the " serum
alone " method and by goat blood and tissue virus methods,
the total number of animals protected against rinderpest during
the year being 258,022 as compared with 119,559 done in
1933-34. Of these, 94,888 animals were protected with anti-
rinderpest serum, and the remaining, 163,134 with goat blood
and goat tissue virus. The greatest number protected in any
one district by the ordinary serum alone method was 14,080
in the Santhal Parganas, while by goat tissue virus, the greatest
number was 23,625 in Gaya. Shahabad with a figure of 21,916
stood second in respect of goat tissue inoculation.
54. Goat Virus Inoculation.—At page 15 of the Annual
Report for 1933-34 it was stated that further improvement of
this inoculation by adopting goat tissue virus was in contem-
plation. Though the starting of the work was considerably
delayed during my absence on leave it was undertaken
immediately on my return in November 1934. The (Veteri-
nary) Disease Investigation Officer was deputed to carry out
some preliminary tests concerning potency and reaction, etc.,
the results of which proving satisfactory, the Range Officers as
well as the Disease Investigation Officer were instructed to
push on with the campaign as vigorously as possible with the
existing subordinate staff. Within a short time it was found
that the method of immunisation by goat tissue virus was not
only a much simpler process but also much safer, and easier to
control than the blood virus one. The question of obtaining a
continuous supply was also solved as the Imperial Institute of
Veterinary Research had already put the tissue on sale at
Rs. 3-8-0 per ampoule of 100 doses. The blood virus was
therefore abandoned in favour of the tissue, and the result was
that in less than 4½ months, altogether 163,134 animals were
immunised both by blood and tissue virus.
55. It is worth noting here that the Director of the
Imperial Institute of Veterinary Research, Muktesar, reduced
the cost per ampoule of goat tissue virus from Rs. 3-8-0 to
Rs. 2-0-0 exclusive of the cost of a telegraphic advice which
was thought unnecessary, from the 1st March 1935, and that
the Government of India has just fixed its price at Re. 1-2-0
per ampoule. In view of the extremely low price now fixed
and the reliability of the supply from the Muktesar Institute,
it is no longer considered advisable to prepare the tissue virus
at the Bihar and Orissa Veterinary College as was contemplated.
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56. In North Bihar Range, the blood virus method was
abandoned after 1,372 animals including 45 buffaloes were
immunised by it in 4 districts (Saran, Champaran, Darbhanga
and Purnea) against 226 done in the previous year. With
goat tissue virus, 40,558 animals including 4,353 buffaloes were
immunised and out of these, 58 including 11 buffaloes died.
The Champaran district had the record number of 16,440
inoculations. This method of immunisation is stated to be
now very popular and is being cordially welcomed by the local
bodies of the Range.
57. In the Central Range, the tissue virus work was
undertaken on a big scale with the definite object of stopping
the outbreaks of rinderpest by giving bovines and buffaloes a
long standing immunity. The work was therefore done in all
the districts, and by almost all the veterinary assistant surgeons.
It is gaining in popularity among the villagers of the range.
Altogether 94,697 animals including 11,075 buffaloes were
immunised by blood, as well as tissue virus in 532 villages. Of
these, 649 were done by blood virus. The figures include the
work of the (Veterinary) Disease Investigation Officer also as
shown below.
58. In the Orissa Range, out of a total of 26,507 animals,
14,916 were immunised by the goat blood virus method in the
districts of Cuttack, Puri, Angul, Singhbhum and Sambalpur.
The tissue virus method could not be adopted in this range
sufficiently early with the result that not more than 11,591
animals including 18 buffaloes were immunised in the course of
2 months during the year. None of the inoculated animals
died although most of them showed decided normal reaction.
59. The (Veterinary) Disease Investigation Officer carried
out 4,723 inoculations by the goat tissue virus alone method
including 346 buffaloes. Goat virus work has, so far, been
conducted in the absence of outbreaks. This in itself is very
satisfactory as it gives an effective protection to healthy animals
against a possible outbreak. But in order to derive full benefit
from the operation, it should also be carried out in actual
outbreaks, so as to gradually do away with anti-rinderpest
serum. An experiment was therefore made by the (Veterinary)
Disease Investigation Officer by inoculating out of the total
number, 672 animals (80 buffaloes and 592 bovines) in the face
of actual outbreaks of rinderpest. The result was that, while
there was no mortality among the inoculated in the absence of
outbreaks, the mortality in face of outbreaks amounted to
2.6 per cent for buffaloes and bovines combined. This
mortality was due apparently either to the animals being then
in the incubation period of the disease, or to the inoculated ones
3
11 D. V. S.
18
getting infected by contact with the diseased before the
immunity could be established. The detailed results of these
experiments will be found in statement A and B.
60. The above results were, however, very encouraging,
especially in view of the longer immunity the new method gives,
and it is in contemplation to adopt the method in face of actual
outbreaks with due precautions, along with the operations done
in the absence of an outbreak.
61. Arrangements for obtaining the tattooing machines
with figures etc., for purposes of record were completed during
the year, and the Range Officers were requested to include one
machine for each dispensary in its annual indent.
62. " Serum Simultaneous " Inoculation.—56 cattle
belonging to the Dairy herd of the Tata Iron and Steel Com-
pany, Jamshedpur, were immunised by the " Serum
Simultaneous Method " against rinderpest, and the result was
satisfactory.
63. Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia.—The virulence of this
disease not being severe as already stated, it was not necessary
to carry out inoculations as extensively as in the previous year.
The number of animals protected by the " serum alone "
method against hæmorrhagic septicæmia was 33,491, under-
taken in 184 outbreaks, in addition to 14,341 animals protected
with the vaccine, or a total of 47,832 animals, compared with
61,820 done by both the methods in the year 1933-34.
As in the case of rinderpest, the Central Range gave the
lead in inoculation against hæmorrhagic septicæmia also, as
out of the total number of 47,832 as many as 32,649 were done
in that range, and this includes 11,538 animals protected with
vaccine.
17 animals out of the inoculated died of the disease the
death rate being approximately 03 per cent.
64. Anthrax.—Protection with anti-anthrax serum was
given to 6,343 animals, as compared with 2,466 done in 1933-34.
The work was undertaken in 37 outbreaks occurring in 10 dis-
tricts. In addition, 49 horses were also protected in 2 out-
breaks. Of the total number, 8 animals including 1 horse
died, giving a percentage of 12 death.
65. Blackquarter.—Altogether 4,575
animals
were
protected against blackquarter with serum, vaccine, and
aggressin in 10 outbreaks, as compared with 5,533 protected
in 24 outbreaks in the preceding year. Only 1 death occurred
among the inoculated showing a percentage of 02 death.