4
most fatal with which cattle owners have to deal in India. Ranchi district
shows the highest mortality, but this, I believe is due to the fact that considerable
attention has been paid to reporting in the past twelve months, and to the in-
terest displayed by the Superintendent of Police. Balasore, Cuttack, and
Muzaffarpur show a relatively heavy mortality. Every effort is being made,
with the staff available, to inoculate as many cattle as possible.
Black Quarter.—The total number of deaths from this disease is 311
against 181 of the previous year Of this number more than half, or 181, have
been reported from Darbhanga district. As remarked in a previous report,
the disease appears to be peculiar to the districts of North Bihar, but further
investigation will probably prove that it exists in other parts of the province
as well.
Anthrax.—Only one death from Anthrax was reported against 7 in 1911-12,
but it was not confirmed microscopically.
Other Contagious Diseases.—Two hundred and one deaths were reported
under this head, against 379 of the previous year. No records are available to
show from what diseases the cattle suffered.
TABLE III.
PREVENTIVE INOCULATION.
Considerable attention was paid to this part of the Assistants' duties
during the year, with the result that a large increase in the number of animals
inoculated is now recorded.
Inoculations have been undertaken in all districts except Singhbhum, where
there is at present no Assistant; the largest number were performed in Muzaffar-
pur 4,089; Purnea 2,312; Palaman 2,394; Champaran 1,312; Cuttack 1,224
and Balasore 1,164.
In most districts even now, and notwithstanding the number of inocu-
lations that have been carried out, a considerable amount of opposition is dis-
played, though in some instances cases have occurred in which the owners have
asked for inoculations after they have seen the effects produced by this method
of preventive treatment.
In connection with inoculations a meeting of the Pandits of North Bihar
was convened at Rohika through the agency of the Hon'ble Maharaja Bahadur
Sir Rameswar Singh, K.C.I.E., of Darbhanga ; a similar meeting was arranged
for in Puri by Pandit Rama Ballabh Misra, the Magistrate, but had
to be postponed to April 1913. Their object was to get an authoritative
statement on inoculations with special reference to the supposed loss of caste
by those whose cattle were inoculated. It was decided at Rohika that no
such loss of caste could accrue when the treatment was for the animal's good.
Very great assistance was given to the Veterinary Assistants of Bettiah
Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, and Saran by the Planters in their elakas, whenever
inoculations were attempted. They willingly allowed their cattle to be in-
jected for demonstration purposes.
Greater attention has also been given during the year to the method of
reporting disease and of drawing the attention of the District authorities
to any slackness on the part of the chaukidars. Altogether 1,366 outbreaks were
reported, of which 1,052 were attended, and in 213 of which inoculations were
performed by the Inspectors or Veterinary Assistants. In those which were
left unattended the reason usually given was that the Assistant was present at
another outbreak in a different part of his jurisdiction, or that he arrived at the
village after the outbreak had subsided.
The necessity of providing at least two touring Assistants for each
subdivision becomes very apparent when one tours through the large tracts
which are placed in charge of some of the more unfortunate officers. No really
satisfactory work can be done under such circumstances. Those who have
done well under such conditions deserve the greatest credit.