( 16 )
Both developed rinderpest and one died.
193. On the 7th January a telegraphic report reached me of the reappear-
ance of Rinderpest near Kanti, in the village of Harsair near the out-work of
Raghai. I went to investigate and found that typical Rinderpest was raging.
194. Mr. Toomey requested me to inoculate the herd of cattle on the
out-work, but the usual difficulty arose as to obtaining sufficient and suitable
material.
195. It was therefore arranged that a small experimantal station should be
erected in which material could be prepared and some further experiments
carried out.
196. The place selected, on the banks of the little Gandak, was isolated,
and exceedingly bleak at night though warm in the day. There was no shelter
for the animals to speak of, and the weather during the experiments was
cyclonic. These facts are mentioned, as I think they affected the temperatures
to a certain extent.
197. A bamboo enclosure was put up, a chaukidar appointed, attendants
told off, and the whole staff isolated for the time being.
198. On the 7th January several young buffalos were infected with
material from a typical case of rinderpest, and were used as follows when the
disease had developed:—
From buffalo
„
„
„
„
„
„
IV 23 bullocks were inoculated and branded
I 13 „
V 35 „
VI 26 „
VIII 25 „
II 28 buffalos were
AI 4 bullocks were
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
" K " on the 28th January.
" T " on the 28th January.
"K/T" on the 30th January.
"T/I" on the 30th January.
" K/T" on the 4th February.
"X " on the 4th February.
" Z " on the 12th February.
199. The bile from Nos. III and VII was rejected.
200. Average price of buffalo calves about Rs. 5. Average number of
doses from each animal, including No. III and VII, 18.75.*
201. It will be seen that 107 bullocks were inoculated during the first
experiment, and 126 bullocks and 28 buffalos were inoculated daring the second
experiment. The total number of cattle immunized has been 261.
202. Close observation, which has been maintained since the beginning of
the work, in August, down to the present date, has failed to show any signs of
rinderpest in the animals treated, notwithstanding the fact that the disease
existed in the neighbouring villages at the time of the inoculation and for some
time afterwards.
203. The success or failure of the bile method of treating rinderpest will
depend largely upon the duration of the immunity which it offers.
I have
therefore carried out experiments in order to gain information on this point.
204. By a reference to paragraphs 13 and 29 of my letter of 11th October
1897, and appended charts, it will be seen that certain bullocks were inoculated
with bile only, and certain other animals were inoculated with bile and later
with virulent rinderpest blood.
205. Hence there were two questions to be answered in February as
regards the September experiments, viz., were the animals inoculated with bile
only still immune, and were the animals inoculated with bile and later with
blood still immune.
206. On the 28th January seven "Bile only" bullocks and four of the
" Bile and blood" bullocks (the other two had died of old age and debility
since the August experiment were brought into the experimental enclosure,
tied up, and constantly fed with the buffaloes infected with Rinderpest (para-
graph 198 ante).
207. The post-mortems of the buffaloes as they died or were destroyed for
inoculation was held in the immediate presence of the bullocks which stood
constantly on the infected ground ; various discharges from the sick buffaloes
were rubbed on to the bullocks muzzles, and each bullock received a
subcutaneous injection of 1 c.c.m. of virulent blood from one or more sick
* Buffalo AI is not counted ; he supplied a large quantity of bile, but there were only four bullock
remaining to be treated.