4
It is regrettable to have to state that opposition to inoculation still
continues though more acquaintance with its advantages over other forms of
treatment will, no doubt, overcome these prejudices as time goes on.
The opinion of the Pandits of the Jaggarnath Temple and Darbhanga were
translated into Hindi and Oriya, but only the Hindi version has so far been
distributed, the pamphlets in Oriya not having been received from the Press.
As pointed out previously, the small number of qualified Assistants has
militated against the expansion of the Department, but every effort will be
made to use the present staff to the best advantage in the suppression of the
preventable mortality.
The total number of inoculations done during the year amounts to 53,109
as compared with 22,124 in 1912-13.
Rinderpest.—27,028
cattle were inoculated against 8,353 of the pre-
vious year. The mortality in infected villages was 2 583 before inoculation,
while only 114 died after inoculation. Protection was principally carried out
in the Gaya, Palamau, Ranchi, Hazaribagh, Manbhum, Sambalpur, and Saran
Districts.
Hærnorrhagic Septiæmia.—The
number of inoculations performed by
Veterinary Assistants during the year under report was in the case of vaccine
15,297, and serum 5,392, or a total of 20,689 as compared with 12,612 of
1912-13.
Most work was done in Muzaffarpur, Champaran, Purnea, Ranchi,
Manbhum, Balasore, Puri, and Angul Districts. The figures for the inocula-
tions in Ranchi are shown separately in the table. With these added there
was a total number of 88,600 cattle inoculated during the year.
The total number of deaths recorded in affected villages where inocula-
tions were performed, after the most careful enquiries amounts to 1,013, while
35 died after inoculation.
During the year under report a new scheme for the inoculation of cattle
against Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia on a wider scale has been inaugurated in
Ranchi District. The scheme was started as a preliminary measure to taking
up the subject of cattle insurance later on. It consisted of training local
boys to do the work and then sending them into the villages to inoculate all
the cattle they could.
Accordingly 28 Christian boys, nominated by the respective mission
heads in Chota Nagpur, attended a class in Ranchi and were taught the
necessary details for carrying out the work.
In September they were posted to their respective stations and under the
supervision of the missionary in charge, toured in the adjacent villages.
The area was divided into two circles and two Reserve Veterinary Assis-
tants were put in charge of them as Inspectors of Inoculators.
A central dep6t for vaccine was opened in Ranchi under the charge of the
Stationary Veterinary Assistant and others at Khunti, Rengarih and Soso
under the respective mission heads who distributed the necessary articles to
the different missions.
During the course of seven months from September to the end of March
1914, 191,600 doses were supplied from Muktesar and 67,911 cattle were
inoculated. The apparent discrepancy is clue to the short time the vaccine
keeps good which necessitates a large number of doses being returned unused.
Then bottles are opened from which only a few doses can be used and the re-
mainder have to be rejected. Some vaccine was supplied to the Ranchi Veter-
inary Assistants and there was vaccine in stock at thev arious mission stations at
end of the year.
The entire establishment was maintained by Government and Table XIV
(B) gives details of cost.
It is not possible to form an opinion on the effect the scheme has had on
the cattle in the district, because only a small proportion have been inoculated.
The missionaries are very grateful that Government has taken up the question
of cattle disease and are very anxious that adequate means should be provided
to lessen the mortality. The present scheme is not one which lends itself to