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" Tabulated statement showing districts where outbreaks of cattle disease
occurred during 1896-97 is appended (Table M, page ci) in the prescribed
form.
" Since 1882, when Mr. Finucane, the then Director of Land Records and
Agriculture, Bengal, pointed out that the losses from cattle disease in Bengal
amounted to a great deal more than eight lakhs per annum, the subject has
been steadily kept in view by Government, and my predecessor accumulated
a good deal of information. We now have several Veterinary Assistants avail-
able to send into districts.
"As regards the laws bearing upon the subject of contagious cattle disease
I have been referred by the Director of Land Records and Agriculture, Bengal—
(1) to sections 208, 271 and 290 of the Indian Penal Code, Act XLV of
1860;
(2) to Chapter XXXI of the Criminal Procedure Code;
(3) to the Acts for the prevention of cruelty to animals, viz., India Act,
XI of 1890, section 7, and Bengal Council Act I (B. C.) of
1869, section IV and III of 1869 ; and
(4) for the appointment of persons to deal with cattle disease, section 69,
(XI) of Act III ( B. C ) of 1884, as amended by Act II (B. C.)
of 1896.
"The question arises whether the time has not yet arrived to make greater
use of the means at our disposal in an attempt to cope with Rinderpest to
begin with, particularly as Foreign Governments show a disposition to enquire
what is being done. With this object in view I have submitted the draft of a
scheme as follows :—
1st—The system of reporting to be altered in that all contagious
cattle disease, whether epizootic or sporadic, be reported at once
to this office, and these reports to be continued weekly until
the end of the outbreak; figures to be given ( that this can be
done is shown by the reports submitted from Palamau by
District Superintendent Fullerton ).
2nd—Forms for the reports in Vernacular and English to be provided
in each thana, and the supply kept up.
3rd—A list of contagious diseases to be prepared, giving symptoms,
treatment, etc., together with good coloured pictures of animals
suffering from the diseases for general information.
4th—This information to be placarded in front of every police-station
in a prominent place under a glass cover to protect it from the
weather, so that every man may know at once the nature of the
disease, when an outbreak takes place amongst cattle.
5th—Two more Veterinary Assistants at Rs. 40 a month, and travel-
ling expenses to be taken into my staff ( at present a few have
been sent into the districts who are not permanently employed,
but it cannot be expected that they will always be available, as
they will settle down to private practice, and will then probably
object to temporary work. I have one man on my permanent
staff, but he is not enough for the work ).
6th—The local police to be responsible that domes and chamars
be engaged to slash the skins of animals that have died of
infectious disease other than Anthrax, and to bury the carcases,
for which they would be paid, or cinerators might be used to
burn the carcases.
7th—If an early report has been made, three-fourths of the expenses
of the outbreak to be paid from Provincial funds.
8th—If the outbreak has not been properly reported, the thana to
pay the whole of the expenses. The Revenue Department to
be the judge.