5
Rinderpest.—Eight thousand three hundred and fifty-three cattle were
inoculated by the "serum alone" method against 6,295 in the previous year,
showing an increase of 2,058. The mortality in affected villages before inocu-
lation was 532, while only 61 deaths occurred after inoculation, which shows a
high standard of potency in the serum.
Haemorrhagic Septicemia.—A satisfactory increase in the number of
inoculations performed against this disease is now reported, as altogether with
serum and vaccine 12,612 cattle were inoculated against 8,898 in 1911-12.
Further efforts will be made in the ensuing year to popularize this mode of
treatment of so fatal a disease. Most of the inoculations were performed in
Balasore, Cuttack, Puri, and Muzaffarpur.
Black Quarter.—One thousand one hundred and three inoculations were
performed against this disease in 14 outbreaks in the districts of Muzaffarpur
and Darbhanga. Eleven deaths are recorded as having occurred after the
vaccination.
Anthrax.—Fifty-six
animals in Gaya district were inoculated with
serum ; the diagnosis of the disease was not confirmed by microscopical exami-
nation.
TABLE IV.
The work of the Itinerating Veterinary Assistants is shown in this table.
No change in the number touring in the districts took place during the year
as there were 34 in the cadre on the 31st March 1913. The post under the
Encumbered Estates, Palamau, was not filled owing to the insufficiency of
graduates. A new post of Veterinary Assistant for the Municipalities of
Deoghur and Madhupur was created.
The work done by the touring officers shows a large decrease of 10,621
patients as compared with 1911-12, that is, 34,158 cases were treated this year
against 44,779, in 1911-12. This is due to the absence of large outbreaks of
Foot and Mouth disease in most Districts but in the majority of cases it is
accounted for by the more strict supervision of the work of the Assistants
in the mufassal and to the consequent absence of exaggerated returns.
The Veterinary Assistants of Barh, Bihar, Gaya Sadr, and Jehanabad did
not work well. There is a large falling off in the number of patients treated
in Dinapore, and this is due to the fact that there was a transfer, and that the
new Assistant was not so popular as the previous incumbent.
The Veterinary Assistants in all the Tirhut districts did well, particularly
the Veterinary Assistant of Sitamarhi, who performed a large number of inocu-
lations single-handed in addition to his hospital work.
The Veterinary Assistant at Madhipura has not done well, though the
attention of the District authorities was frequently drawn to him. The falling
off in the number of patients at Kissenganj and Dumka was due to the con-
tinued ill-health of the Veterinary Assistants, who had to bo subsequently
transferred or given leave.
Deoghur has only recently been established and the Veterinary Assistant
is hardly known yet, but there is considerable scope for the employment of a
Veterinary Assistant in that part of the Santal Parganas.
In the Orissa Division there has been a general falling off in the number
of patients treated. There is a very large increase in the Khondmals, mainly
due to Foot and Mouth disease which was very prevalent.
The Assistant in Bargarh worked satisfactorily, but in Sambalpur itself
considerable trouble was caused through the failure of the District authorities
to supervise properly the work of Stationary and Sadr Itinerant Veterinary
Assistants. The work has now been placed on a much sounder basis, though
the District Board still wish to abolish the Itinerating post. The matter has
been referred to the Commissioner of Orissa.