94
reported as Anthrax are either Charbon Symptomatique (black quarter) or
"Galghotu" a disease of the throat affecting young buffaloes and calves;
neither of these diseases are considered to be true Anthrax. Various other
maladies are also returned as Anthrax, this being done owing to mistaken
diagnosis.
518. As a certain percentage of animals inoculated succumb to virulent
Anthrax, and as there is considerable danger of these animals becoming foci
of disease, and spreading it about the country, it was suggested that the use or
manufacture of anthrax vaccine should be postponed until we are satisfied
that the disease really exists, and if so, to what extent it prevails.
519. Owing to the representations made to them by the Government of
India, the Committee of the proposed Pasteur Institute agreed to omit the
preparation of anthrax vaccine from the proposed objects of the Institute.
SURRA.
520. During the present year there has been progress in the collection of
information regarding the geographical distribution of this fatal disease.
Printed circulars were sent to all Veterinary Assistants attached to the Tehsils
in which they were required to visit every village and report on all contagious
diseases affecting both horses and cattle. In this way much information has
been collected so far as pertains to the Punjab and the North-Western Prov-
inces; no other returns have been received, and this may be accounted for by
the fact that the disease has either not been recognised in other Provinces or
that there are no qualified Veterinary Assistants available to make the neces-
sary enquiries.
The Vernacular names by which this disease is known are many, viz:—
"Phenta," "Phera," "Sokra," "Wabai-ki-bokhar," "Pheta," "Andar-tap,"
"Marri," "Sooka," "Tapedik," "Sarra," "Sar," and when camels are
affected, it is called "Poorana."
Seasons of occurrence.—From the reports before me, it would seem that
disease may occur throughout the year, and a glance at the tabulated statement
(vide page 97) will show, that with the exception of the months of March, April,
May and June, in fact the dry months of the year, cases of Surra have occurred
in all other months. The period immediately after the Monsoon rains seems
to be the worst time of the year, and probably more animals become affected
about this period than at any other. It will be seen that the majority of
the deaths occurred in November, but there are many cases that continue till
December and even January.
Geographical distribution.—The distribution of this disease seems to be
confined to low-lying country, which is chiefly influenced by recurring floods
and inundations. Again referring to the tabulated statement, it will be seen
that, except in the Kaithal Tehsil, in the Kurnal district, and in a few villages
in the Ferozepore Tehsil, in the district of that name, all the villages in which
the disease appeared were low-lying, and therefore subject to inundation from
the rivers. The districts most affected were Gujranwala, Ferozepore, Ludhiana,
Kurnal and Delhi.
521. The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, South Punjab, in
his monthly inspection report for February 1897, on the Hoshiarpur district,
stated that:—"The prevalence of Surra during the past two years over the whole
of the district has killed off nearly all horses; the mares which have been
brought in for my inspection being mostly newly purchased ones from other
districts. Probably for this reason, and because there have been many changes
of Zilladars for some years, horse-breeding is more backward in this, than in
any other district of the South Punjab."
522. In the Garhshankar Tehsil, in Hoshiarpur, there were 82 deaths in
1895, comprising 50 horses and 32 donkeys, yet this should not have made an
appreciable difference in the horse-breeding operations.