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by no means singular in this particular, most others are the same, and it is
only selected for the sake of example. During the time I was with the Pun-
jab Government the Deputy Commissioner of Kangra, in answer to enquiries
made by me, stated that no disease was reported from Kulu, but on my visiting
the sub-division I found that the cattle were dying by thousands from rinderpest.
This will give some idea as to the accuracy of the statistics received. With
reference to this point the Superintendent, Bombay, states :—
" It is extremely doubtful, however, if all these diseases are correctly diagnosed by district
officials, or if any thing like full reports of the number attacked and died have been received
by me."
The Superintendent, South Punjab, remarks :—
" The number of deaths in all other districts is few, probably owing to the fact that a great
number of cases are not reported. According to the reports received the loss from cattle disease
was over 57,000 in Ferozepur district, 3,000 in Amritsar and 2,000 in Hissar. I feel satisfied that
the figures generally do not represent anything like the losses incurred in the circle."
The Superintendent, North Punjab, states :—
" The returns from Kohat and Peshawar have been returned blank though outbreaks have
been reported from time to time from each of these districts ; such being the case, the accuracy
of the returns is not to be relied upon."
The Superintendent, North-Western Provinces and Oudh, reports :—
" Of these, 23,225 are reported to have died, but this does not show correctly the full number."
With regard to this Province it need only be stated that only 21 out of
48 districts have submitted reports.
Diagnosis.
324. With regard to this the same remarks apply. It is not difficult to distin-
guish rinderpest when the disease has reached an advanced stage and a num-
ber of animals are affected. But the returns of pleuro-pneumonia and anthrax
are entirely unreliable from wrong diagnosis. From my own enquiries I am in-
clined to believe that anthrax proper is a comparatively rare disease, charbon
symptomatique, on the contrary, is very common, but all the deaths from the
latter disease are invariably attributed to anthrax. The same may be said of
malignant sore throat, which is also very common in the districts, and we may
take it as probable that these two diseases are accountable for the majority
of deaths at present reported under the heading of anthrax.
I doubt whether pleuro-pneumonia contagiosa exists to any extent in
this country, the deaths attributed to it being probably due to ordinary pneu-
monia, for I have not seen a single case of the former disease during eight years
of civil employ.
Practically the only diseases reported on are rinderpest, foot and mouth
disease, anthrax and pleuro-pneumonia, and we may take it for granted that
these diseases are the most important and widespread.
Investigation.
325. Owing to the laboratory at Muktesar not yet being in working order,
no investigations into cattle disease have been undertaken, but so soon as the
institution commences work it is believed that efforts will be made to find a
preventive against rinderpest, and the subject of the prevalence of anthrax
will be investigated.
It is also desirable to experiment in the treatment of rinderpest, for we are
aware that at least 20 per cent. of cases can be saved in those districts where the
disease is mild in its nature, and when it is considered that an animal once
recovered from the disease is proof against it for the rest of its life and suppres-
sive measures are at present next to impossible in many parts, the importance
of treatment cannot be too highly estimated.
The treatment of contagious disease has made no progress during the year,
the efforts of the Veterinary Assistants have been directed to suppressing by
the usual means of isolation and segregation. Whether or not their efforts
have been attended with success I am unable to state, but judging from my
own experience I fear that, owing to insufficient supervision and direction, they
have not done much good in this particular branch.
Treatement,
ex..
periment.
326. The Inspector General caused experiments to be made with an indi-
genous plant named " Adhatoda" with a view to determining whether it possesses