3
rinderpest has decreased considerably, still I regret to have again to state that
the losses this year are in my opinion infinitely greater than the police figures
show in Table II, as from personal observations and enquiries I am led to believe
that they are even larger than they were in 1914-15, and that instead of
35,000 deaths which were then estimated as having occurred, the total for
1915-16 should be not less than 40,000, which involves an actual loss to cattle
owners from rinderpest alone of Rs. 12,00,000, taking the average price at Rs. 30
per head, a sum, which if the cattle were saved by professional treatment, would
be sufficient to cover the cost of the re-organised Veterinary Department for
more than 3 years.
Foot- and-mouth disease—This
disease as usual was widely distributed,
but was not the cause of a very high mortality. 44,455 animals appear to have
been affected throughout the Province, while out of this number only 740 are
supposed to have died.
Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia.—There
has been a slight decrease in the num-
ber of deaths from this fatal malady, as only 4,016 animals died during 1915-16,
as compared with 4,306 in 1914-15. The principal districts which record a
decrease are Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Balasore, Sambalpur and Palamau, while an
increased death rate is reported from Champaran, Darbhanga, Puri and Singh-
bhum. As in the case of rinderpest the figures do not represent the actual
number of deaths, many outbreaks being not reported by the chowkidars at all.
It was diagnosed microscopically on 16 occasions.
Black- Quarter.—An increased number of deaths has been recorded against
this disease during the period under report, 294 fatalities having occurred
against 67 of the previous year. The disease was confirmed microscopically on
six occasions.
Anthrax.—Ten
districts are reported to have been affected with Anthrax
during the period under report, 314 deaths being recorded, of which 222 occur-
red in Palamau during one outbreak. Thirty-four outbreaks were reported of
which 20 were attended. The disease was confirmed microscopically in nine
cases.
Other contagious diseases.—Two hundred and twenty-seven ' deaths were
reported against 287 in 1914-15. Particulars are not available to allow of a
proper classification being made.
TABLE III.
INOCULATION.
Although the usual propaganda of distributing pamphlets, giving demons-
trations and lectures in villages where outbreaks occurred, seeking the advice and
help of the district officials and leading zamindars, and endeavouring to induce
members of the Co-operative Societies to lend their assistance, was carried on
throughout the Province, still there has been a considerable reduction in the
number of animals protected against disease as there were only 98,144 cattle
immunized in 1915-16 as compared with 130,027 in 1914-15, a decline of 31,883.
The above total includes 39,382 inoculated by the Inoculators in Ranchi, the
remainder, 58,762, representing the work of the Departmental Staff which
inoculated 85,688 animals in 1914-15.
One of the principal reasons for this reduction has been the op position
encountered in Gaya, Patna, Monghyr, Bhagalpur, Darbhanga and Sambal-
pur, on the part of the Hindu cattle-owners of those districts. In many cases
prejudice was so strong that the Veterinary Assistants were in danger of
being assaulted, and even when the cattle were actually dying, owners would
accept no sort of treatment. As the outbreak in Champaran had practically
subsided in April, a large part of the decrease may be attributed to the small
number of inoculations performed in that district during the year. I should
also like to state that as I was unable to tour as constantly as in the pre-
vious year and as the three experienced Inspectors, Babus P. N. Das, B. L.
Sur and Sirdar Sucha Singh, were on leave or were deputed to other duties,
there was a certain amount of slacking on the part of the Veterinary Assistants.
In Tirhut and the north of the Bhagalpur Division the heavy rains also pre-
vented touring for a considerable period during July, August and September.