149
663. Surely this statement calls for some action on the part of the Govern-
ment of India. That the known mortality should have reached the high figure
of 2,59,570 representing a loss of Rs. 22,26,478 points to the fact that some
steps should be taken to reduce the mortality.
664. The proposal made to entertain a Veterinary officer is one that merits
attention, but an officer sent to a province in which the mortality is so high
would be entirely lost without a well trained subordinate staff.
665. It will be noticed that the highest mortality is from Rinderpest, and
bearing in mind the steps we are now taking to obtain a preventive system of
inoculation, it behoves us to be in a position to take advantage of the advance
made by science, otherwise all our work in this direction will be lost.
Burma.
666. As usual, Veterinary Captain Evans submits a very full report show-
ing disease as it has existed during the past year in each district. It has been
customary to publish this information in extenso to serve as a guide to other
Veterinary Officers dealing with cattle disease, but owing to the many import-
ant subjects which I have felt compelled to deal with in this year's Adminis-
tration Report, I feel I must confine myself to general remarks, showing the
diseases which have been most prevalent in this Province.
LOWER BURMA.
667. Veterinary Captain Evans states:—
Cattle disease.—It affords me very great pleasure to be again able to report that the mortality from con-
tagious diseases during the year under report is less than it has been for some years previous (vide the following
statement):—
Rinderpest
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Anthrax . . . . . . . .
Foot-and-mouth disease
TOTAL .
Average mortality per month . .
1894-95.
12,615
12,938
9,506
35,059
2,921.5
1895-96.
59,881
14,562
3,696
78,137
6,511.4
1896-97.
40,431
7,876
5,355
53,662
4,471.8
1897-98.
14,476
9,045
4,724
28,245
2,353.7
1898-99.
8,130
8,970
3,796
20,896
1,741.3
There was really no alarming outbreak during the year. The mortality in each of the divisions of Lower
Burma was as follows:—
Arakan .
Pegu
Irrawaddy
Tenasserim
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
3,692
5,111
8,842
3,251
Rinderpest.—The heaviest mortality from rinderpest was registered in the Bassein district, which district
has always been a bad one for contagious cattle diseases. Though the losses are serious they are low when com-
pared with those usually incurred in this district.
The Deputy Commissioner in a letter to me remarked, " The districts suffer so severely and continually from
cattle disease (and have done so for many years) that the present staff of Veterinary Assistants should be increased.
The inadequacy of the establishment frequently renders it impossible to deal with outbreaks. The good work
accomplished by the officers of the Veterinary Department is, I am satisfied, valuable out of all proportion to the
expenses of entertainment."
I am certainly of opinion that if the present staff (four) was doubled there would be more than ample work
for them to do. We might then perhaps see a considerable reduction in the mortality from contagions diseases,
but I fear, it will be a very long time indeed before these pests can be eradicated from the Delta districts. The
difficulties of dealing with contagious diseases during the rainy season in districts like Bassein can only be
thoroughly appreciated by the district officials and the few others who have experienced some of them.
Over 1,200 deaths were recorded in two other districts, namely, Akyab and Pegu. With regard to the for.
mer district, the Deputy Commissioner remarks, " the district will in a few years be none the worse. The dis-
trict has always had more cattle than it required for its use and will doubtless take its former place as a cattle-
breeding district. " There is no doubt that the Akyab district was full of under-sized, under-fed, ill-condition-
ed cattle, fit for no purpose. Now that there has been a general clearance, it is hoped that the district will take
its former place. It is also hoped that the natives of India there will not again go in for keeping large numbers
of cattle which they have not the means to support.
I regret to state that in several other districts, large numbers of cattle are passing into the hands of natives
of India, whose herds can immediately be recognized by the wretched state of the animals composing them, half
starved, hide bound, and general unthrifty condition.
The presence of these herds on the grazing-grounds are the terror of the Burmese cowherds, who know by
experience that if disease is not already existing, it will not be long before it makes its appearance amongst such
ill-cared for animals. I was talking to a Burman cattle-owner one day when a herd of about 150 head of
wretched looking cattle passed by. On enquiry I learned from him that they belonged to some natives, and on
asking why such a large number of cattle were kept, he replied, he did not know unless it was to propagate