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temperatures in large herds requires a large staff, or so much delay as to
greatly discount the value of the method. (4) A very serious danger in
Bengal is that connected with double infection, which means that the blood of
a rinderpest patient may carry the germs of other diseases. (5) There is the
financial loss, as it affects the owners of animals through cows aborting and
losing their milk, and bullocks being thrown out of work for an appreciable
time, as must happen if the immunity which the double method confers is to
be durable. Supposing these objections can be overcome, it will still remain
to be proved that the average Veterinary Assistant can be trusted to make the
necessary calculations, upon which the double method is based, with sufficient
accuracy and care to create the exact amount of reaction which is desired.
In my opinion, the objections to the double method veto its use in this
Province.
The plain serum method is not free from objection, owing to the
comparatively short time it acts; but at any rate, it is a simple, and safe appli-
cation, well suited for use by a Veterinary Assistant.
It is not my intention to use the double method, unless ordered to do so ;
but every opportunity has been taken to push the single method.
30. Experiments were carried out in Chittagong, Raniganj, Kanti, and in
the Calcutta Municipal gowkhanas as shown below : —
(a) Chittagong,—The number of cattle in the six villages in which in-
oculation was used was 3,900. Of these, 1,774 died before
inoculation, 660 were inoculated, and 1,466 were left un-
inoculated. After inoculation 211 cattle were attacked out
of the 660 inoculated, of which 143 died. Taking the total
number of cattle in the six villages and the deaths that
occurred before and after the inoculation into consideration,
the percentage of deaths was 49.15. But the deaths amongst
the inoculated cattle only were 21.66 per cent. The villagers
are said to have been favourably impressed at first, but
owing to the death of some of the inoculated and to the
abatement of the outbreak, they refused to continue the
experiment.
(b) Raniganj.—Two hundred and sixteen cattle died in an outbreak
before inoculation. After the inoculation, only 8 died out of
366 inoculated. The death-rate was said to have been greatly
checked, and the villagers appreciated the results. They
appeared to be willing to have their cattle inoculated in future
outbreaks.
(c) Kanti.—Thirty-eight head of cattle died before inoculation. After
the inoculation, 4 out of the 225 inoculated cattle were
attacked, of which only one, which had developed the disease
eight hours after the operation, died. The other three had it
in a mild form. The results were considered to be very
satisfactory. The villagers were at first afraid of allowing
their cattle to be inoculated, but after Mr. Toomey, the
Manager of the Kanti Indigo Concern, had explained to them
the benefit they would derive thereby, they allowed it to be
done, and are now putting faith in it.
(d) Calcutta Municipal gowkhanas.—In the outbreaks that occurred
during the year, 219 cattle were attacked, of which 82 died.
In the one outbreak in which inoculation was resorted to, the
attacks before inoculation were 35, of which 26 died and 9 re-
covered. After the inoculation, 32 out of the 769 inoculated
animals developed rinderpest, of which 26 died and 6 re-
covered. Probably fewer of the inoculated animals would
have succombed, if some of them had not been worked by the
Superintendent of the gowkhanas, when ill. The Veterinary
Assistant informs me "some animals were made to work by
the Superintendent even after the attack, and were not sent
to the hospital until they were exhausted and utterly unable
to do further work."