23
immunised, but owing to the ignorance and objections of the people a large
majority of animals in the locality are not immunised and so the disease
persists. The alternative of turning partially immunised animals in among
diseased so as to allow of them getting a mild attack is never adopted by the
people.
12. In order to attempt to overcome the people's ignorance of and preju-
dice against inoculation pamphlets on the methods of using rinderpest serum
and the rational procedure to adopt in combating the disease have been prepared.
It is hoped that by distributing this pamphlet and others dealing with conta-
gious diseases (which have also recently been prepared or revised), something
may be done to spread correct knowledge of the disease and to induce the people
to avail themselves of the benefits of inoculations; but a considerable time
must elapse before the value of co-operation in this direction is fully realised,
and it is very doubtful if it will ever be possible to really thoroughly control
and eradicate a disease such as rinderpest by voluntary co-operation and without
legislative measures, as has been proved time and again in European and other
countries. Notwithstanding this there is no doubt that with systematic and
continuous endeavour something can be done to lessen the mortality and
efforts should not be relaxed.
13. The number of anti-rinderpest inoculations in 39 outbreaks performed
during the year amount to 4,736 as against 26,558 last year and 39,992 in
1906-07. The outbreaks in former years were calculated as 1 only as the
disease invaded the Presidency and swept over it and the various villages
affected were but the extension of a single outbreak. This diminution in the
numbers of inoculations performed is chiefly due to rinderpest being less
prevalent and to the fact that these inoculations can only be performed in case
of the actual occurrence of the disease. It is also to some extent due to the
continued opposition to the process on the part of the people as well as to the
lack of system and continuous endeavour in dealing with outbreaks on the part
of the District Local Board Veterinary Assistants. The District Officers have
afforded assistance and in some cases a few animals have been inoculated by
the exercise of their influence. But in the majority of cases the success or
otherwise of the inoculator's endeavours depend almost entirely on his own
personality. If the people know and trust the Veterinary Assistant he can do
more by persuasion than by calling on the Revenue Officers for assistance.
It should be possible in future for Veterinary Assistants to attend many more
outbreaks of disease and this part of their duties will be given more prominence
in future.
14. The following table shows the number of outbreaks of rinderpest
attended and the numbers of inoculations performed by each Veterinary
Assistant:—
Veterinary Assistant.
H. R. Kshirsagar ...
G. A.Washikar ... ...
H. B. Shirsathe ... ...
D. D. Sanga ... ...
Y. N. Maráthe ... ...
V. N. Kulkarni ... ...
A. G. Sadekar ... ...
M. G. Kulkarni ... ...
V. R. Mudliar ... ...
R N. Sane ... ...
G. G. Page ... ...
J. G. Kulkarni ... ...
B. B. Pandhi
... ...
B. G. Govaikar ... ...
D. M. Gadkari ... ...
K. H. Dwivedi ... ...
D. B. Mamtora ... ...
P. D. Maniar ... ...
V. D. Patel ... ...
M. C. Joshi ... ...
Total ...
Number of
outbreaks.
1
1
2
1
1.
1
3
3
2
6
3
2
1
1
4
2
2
1
1
1
39
Number of inocula-
tions performed.
47
7
437
120
32
102
210
147
373
487
218
677
89
1,084
215
116
58
145
36
136
4,736