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E.—Remarks on Prevention and Legislation.
The following observations were submitted to Government with the Report
on an outbreak of Surra affecting the ponies on theSaharanpur-Rájpur Dak line
in 1894, but some of the suggestions are equally applicable to animals in other
localities, notably those on the Katgodam and Naini Tál Dak line.
(a). Dâk animals, when returning to their own stage, should not be allowed
to graze or drink water along the road, especially during the months of
May and October inclusive.
A light preventive muzzle might be introduced.
(ii) The practice of moving sick animals to other healthier stables
during the rains should be discontinued, unless isolation is carried
out on their arrival.
(iii) All diseased animals should be at once isolated,
(iv) All carcasses should be burnt, together with the dung and stable
litter.
(b). For animals between Mohand and Asarori on the Saharanpur-Rajpur
Dak line.
All water for drinking purposes should be filtered and boiled, as now carried
out by one firm of Dak proprietors.
(ii) Hay should be made in the cold weather, and stacked for the use
of animals during the rains. The hay to be obtained from uplands,
or from land not subjected to inundation ; or better still, from land
entirely beyond the affected area. Green food should, during the
rainy season be prohibited, unless it is brought from without the
Surra area.
(iii) All gram and corn to be screened and cleaned before being given
as food.
(iv) New stables to be erected above the road on high ground, and
not as at present in the hollow, bordering on the bed of the river,
especially at the three chaukis—Mohund, Tunbara, and Lundibara.
(v) The use of the Bel (creeper) leaves as food to be discontinued
during the months June to September inclusive.
(c) There is a probability that after the excessive rainfall of the past two
seasons 1893-94, a mean or minimum fall may take place in 1895-96
Consequently, if few cases of Surra occur, it must not be too readily
ascribed to whatever preventive measures may have been adopted; for
statistics show that fewer cases of Surra usually occur in seasons of
short rainfall.
(d). The question of the introduction of an Act to limit the spread of Surra,
as in the case of glanders, is an important one. It would be useless
however to bring one class of animals (Tonga ponies) under an Act,
unless the other (Ekka ponies) were likewise included; for, at present,
the former only are under compulsory registration, although the latter
are quite as numerous.
No Government oficial can interfere with animals, the subjects of Surra;
consequently, only advice can be given to the owners as to the best
means of prevention against the spread of the disease.
It is well known that Surra untreated is an absolutely fatal malady, the
disease taking an unusually rapid course in the case of overworked
animals. When once the disease is diagnosed the animal is useless.
Isolation therefore would entail no hardship on the owners; and power
to enable officers to enforce it, and the burning of all diseased carcasses,
would be a great step towards the limitation of outbreaks.
F.—Physiological problems relating to Surra in health and disease.
In order to make a complete investigation into the physiological and
chemical changes in equines (horses, mules and donkeys), in health and in
untreated Surra disease, the quantity and composition of the ingesta and egesta
have been ascertained for a certain period, (i) of health (previous to inoculation),
B 744—3