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Graduates. In all cases where cattle-disease of a contagious nature has been
prevalent, segregation and isolation have been adopted as far as possible. It is to
be regretted that the Collector of Thána, in whose district rinderpest, foot and
mouth disease and surra were prevalent, was unable to employ a Veterinary
Graduate on account of want of funds due to the excessive expenditure in con-
nection with plague. It is to be hoped that next year a Graduate may be
employed.
Special visits of the Superintendent to investigate outbreaks.
47. In April 1898 there was an outbreak of anthrax amongst the horses
belonging to the Mounted Police at Sholápur. A Veterinary Graduate was
specially deputed, and owing to the apparent urgency of the outbreak, Veteri-
nary-Major Morgan proceeded himself and found that on the 25th March a horse
belonging to the Mounted Police was attacked with anthrax at a village called.
Rámlál, Akalkot, some three miles from Sholápur, was brought into Sholápur and
died on the 27th of March. On the 5th of April a second horse was attacked
at the same place, brought into Sholápu r and died on the 11th of April. On
the 9th of April a third horse was attacked at Sholápur and died on the 12th
April. The outbreak is attributed to the horses, whilst on tour with the Col-
lector, being allowed to graze on land tainted with anthrax germs at Rámlál,
Akalkot, or being given grass collected from the same source. The remaining
five horses at Sholápur were examined and found to be healthy. Careful en-
quiries were also made with regard to the feeding and watering arrangements,
and with the exception of the general surroundings and sanitary arrangements
of the stables, which leave much to be desired, there was no further danger to
be apprehended at Sholápur. The necessary instructions for disinfecting the
boxes, &c., were forwarded to the District Superintendent of Police.
48. I visited Bassein in the Thána District in November 1898 to investigate
the outbreak of surra prevalent amongst the tonga ponies there. A detailed
report has already been submitted to Government and the following is a
synopsis :—
Surra is of every-year occurrence at Bassein generally towards the close
of the rainy season. It is due to a parasite (Trypanosoma Evansi), which
lives in a damp medium and is from this medium conveyed into the system,
either by food, water, or through an abrasion of the skin to the blood circu-
lation, where it propagates and gives rise to surra. The way in which the
Bassein tonga ponies contracted the disease is principally through the grass
supply. There is some difficulty in obtaining dry grass during the rains
owing to bad roads and high prices, and as the tonga men lead a hand-to-
mouth existence they get the cheapest possible fodder, which at this time
is the long rank grass in the low-lying marshes containing the surra para-
sites. As the grass dries, the parasites disappear and so the infection dies
out. The late conditions of the rains last year account for the protracted
nature of the disease. Another cause is the rice bran which is used. This
is very dirty, of poor quality, containing a large amount of rat fæces. Rats
are a medium by which surra is conveyed. They themselves live in marshy
places ; and carry the disease-producing organism ; although they do not
suffer to any appreciable extent from the disease, they infect any grain
with which they come in contact by defæcation and micturition upon it.
The other cause which I consider important is the water-supply. The
disease has been prevalent in Bassein for many years and the result is that
the soil around stables, i. e., in those parts under trees and in other ways
shaded from the sun, has become impregnated with the disease-producing
spores; the spores lie dormant during the cold and hot weather, but when
the rain comes they are carried by the drainage into the wells which form
the sole water-supply. Many of these wells are badly constructed, have
no parapets around the mouths, and in many cases are situated at a lower
level than the surrounding buildings, stables and the standings of the
ponies. All these defects were pointed out to the Mámlatdár, and strict
segregation of affected animals, a change in the food supply and care in
the selection of water-supply were ordered. I pointed out the most
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