4
Rinderpest.—This disease appeared in the Presidency, after an absence of
three years, towards the end of the year under report. It was introduced in the
first place by cattle from the Moglái being brought to graze at Chare, a village
of the Bársi táluka, Sholápur district, and spread from thence to Bombay and
Thána district. It was also introduced into the Ahmednagar district from the
Moglái. The spread of the disease has been facilitated by the scarcity of fodder
which prevailed during the last months of the year, causing movements of cattle
on a large scale. The disease is certain to spread widely in the Presidency.
During the year under report outbreaks occurred in Sholápur, Ahmednagar,
Thána and the city of Bombay. There were 1,109 attacks and 527 deaths
reported, viz., Sholápur 258 attacks and 128 deaths, Ahmednagar 270 attacks
and 123 deaths, Thána 201 attacks and 111 deaths, Bombay City 880 attacks
and 165 deaths. These figures can only be taken as approximate as it is
probable that many cases towards the commencement of the outbreaks were
undetected or wrongly diagnosed.
6. Every endeavour was made to check the spread of the disease, but
without success, partly on account of the strength of the subordinate staff being
inadequate and partly on account of the opposition of the people to the measures
recommended.
7. Preventive Inoculation.—During the year under report 89 inoculations
against rinderpest were performed by the "Serum Alone "method, viz., 18 in
Sholápur district and 71 in the Thána district. No animal died after inocula-
tion. The people showed great unwillingness to have their animals inoculated
and in most cases flatly refused to permit it. The inoculation is something
quite new to the majority of the cattle owners in the Presidency and conse-
quently they are distrustful, but the Superintendent is hopeful that as the people
begin to see the benefit derived from protecting animals in this way there will
be much less opposition. It is hoped that even the small number inoculated
may prove beneficial as an object lesson to the less enlightened cattle owners.
(5) Other Diseases.
8. There were 34 cases of other contagious diseases, i. e., diseases not named
or not properly diagnosed. Besides these the Veterinary Graduates treated 3,452
cases while on tour as against 2,717 last year, an increase of 735.
(3) Veterinary Hospitals and Dispensaries.
9. There were in all 19 Veterinary Dispensaries open at the end of the year.
Of these 12 viz., Dhulia, Jalgaon, Amalner, Nandurbár, Násik, Poona district,
Belgaum, Chikodi, Dhárwár, Ratnágiri, Surat, Nadiád and Ahmedabad, may be
described as Veterinary Hospitals, i.e., these possess accommodation for in-
patients. The remaining 7 dispensaries have no accommodation for in-patients
and three of them are Itinerating dispensaries. Besides these dispensaries
Itinerating Salutries are attached to the dispensaries in Thána and Surat. The
new Veterinary dispensaries at Bijápur, Sholápur and Godhra were commenced
during the year and towards the close of the year they were nearing completion.
A new dispensary building was also under construction at Dhárwár. The total
number of animals treated as in and out-patients as shown in Table V is 30,075
as against 25,614 last year and 25,758 in 1903-04. This shows an increase of
4,461 cases treated at dispensaries during the year. The following is a review
of the work done in each dispensary during the year.
10. Dhulia Dispensary.—Veterinary Graduate D. S. Purohit held charge
throughout the year. This dispensary was inspected on 23rd October 1905.
The total number of cases treated was 2,217 as against 2,438 cases last year and
2,709 for 1903-04. This shows a further falling off of 221 cases. The number
of patients has declined partly owing to the exclusion of animals in the Pinjrapole
from free attendance and treatment (formerly about 360 Pinjrapole animals were
treated annually), and the remaining decrease can be accounted for by ordinary
variations in the number of cases of sickness. Of the total number treated,
C86 were horses, 1,021 cattle and 510 other animals (including clogs, goats,
donkeys, &c.). The Veterinary Graduate performed 24 castrations, of which
22 were horses and 2 were bulls. He visited the weekly cattle market and the