4
this method of preventive treatment, I regret to have to state that although
disease was particularly virulent in Champaran, Monghyr, South Bhagalpur,
Sambalpur, Cuttack, and part of the Puri District, it was very difficult to get
any inoculations done, owing to the intense religious prejudices of the people
of these parts. In Jamui Sub-division, for example, even the personal efforts
of the District Magistrate and of the Sub-Divisional Officer showed unpro-
ductive results, and practically no inoculations could be done.
The success of the " Serum Alone " method of treatment, as pointed out
last year, is undoubted, provided that doses suitable to the District in which
it is employed are used. For instance, in Bettiah Sub-division, the normal
dose was injected at first, but it very soon became apparent that animals
which did not receive double or treble doses or more were not immunized.
There has been no lack of Serum or other products of the Imperial
Bacteriological Laboratory, Muktesar, this year, and in part to this fact
must be attributed the large number of animals which have been immunized.
Altogether 130,027 cattle were protected, as compared with 121,020 of
1913-14, showing an increase of about 9,000. If the number inoculated by
the Ranchi Inoculators is not taken into account, it will be seen that the
staff of the Department have performed 85,688 inoculations or 32,579 more
than in 1913-14.
Although the number of inoculations carried out by the Veterinary
Staff of the Department has increased considerably over those of the previous
year, many more could have been done if a Staff of Reserve and Staff Veter-
inary Assistants had been available ; 20 extra Assistants could have been
given employment, had they been procurable.
Rinderpest.—As
previously noted, this disease was prevalent in all
districts during some period of the year, and inoculations have been performed
wherever it has been found practicable or possible to do so. The total number
this year is 71,395 against 27,028 or 44,367 more than in 1913-14. As these
figures include 3,223 cattle inoculated by the Ranchi Inoculators, the total
number of cattle protected by the Departmental staff was 68.172. Champaran
was the district in which the largest number was performed, 15,584 cattle
having been inoculated by the Local Assistants and a special staff up to the
end of March. Considerable numbers have also been immunized in Hazari-
bagh, Palarnau, Angul, Puri, Gaya and Singhbhum. 399 deaths only are
reported to have occurred among the inoculated cattle.
Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia.—16,722 inoculations were done this year by
the Veterinary Assistants. Of this number 10,165 were with Vaccine and 6,557
were with Serum, the figures of the previous year being 15,297 and 5,392 respec-
tively. The total decrease of 3,967 was due, mainly, to the inability of the Assist-
ants to render aid, owing to their presence at other outbreaks. the total
number of deaths after inoculation with the Vaccine and Serum was 7 only.
Black Quarter.—This disease appeared sporadically during the year ; 26
cattle only were inoculated in one outbreak in the district of Champaran.
There were no deaths after inoculation.
Anthrax.—Inoculations were undertaken in 7 outbreaks, the total number
of animals protected being 768 against 1,262 of the previous year.
As regards the number of cattle immunized against Hæmorrhagic Septi-
cæmia by the Ranchi Inoculators, 41,116 were done this year as compared with
67,911 of 1913-14, a decrease of 26,795. A separate statement is attached,
giving details of these inoculations. The cause of the decrease is due, mainly,
to the opposition of the Christian and non-Christian villagers in the Munda
country near Khunti, and also to the fact that smaller number of inoculators
was employed in that circle, as compared with the previous year.
In the Gumla Circle, inoculation has gone on more smoothly as the preju-
dices of the people are not pronounced, and also because they are more amen-
able to the instructions which are given them by the Missionaries.
Owing to the prevalence of Rinderpest in the district, and to the danger of
its spreading, inoculations against this disease are now being carried out.
Altogether 3,223 cattle were protected by the inoculators up to the end of
March since December last.