( 4 )
21. Black quarter.—This malady appeared in 17 districts and 1,105 deaths
are reported. The most serious outbreaks occurred in Jhansi, Azamgarh, and
Kheri—from Jhansi district alone 288 animals are reported to have died. This
malady causes considerable losses amongst young stock in certain localities and
sometimes recurs periodically. In places where it has been ascertained that this
takes place, cattle were vaccinated as a preventive measure. There is good reason
to believe that much saving of stock could be effected yearly if systematic vacci-
nation could be carried out in all those places where black quarter appears
annually, providing this could be done before the customary time for its appearance
has arrived. This, however, would entail a very thorough survey of each district
where the disease is believed to exist. At the present time this is impossible
owing to the insufficient staff of district board veterinary assistants whose present
areas of work and multifarious other duties are already too much for them.
22. Anthrax.—Reports
of this disease were received from 34 districts and
1,580 animals perished. Owing to the nature of this disease, its sudden onset and
rapidly fatal termination, it is only in a few cases that veterinary assistants are
able to reach the locality of the trouble in time to be of any assistance. It is not
easily diagnosed by laymen and consequently often confused with other diseases.
Hence, as pointed out on previous occasions, very little reliability can be placed on
these figures. Notification of anthrax cases is always given to the American
Consul.
23. Foot-and-mouth disease.—As usual, this affection has been very wide-
spread in these provinces and has appeared with varying intensity throughout
the whole area, very few districts escaping. The reported losses from the disease
were 1,626, the mortality being chiefly confined to young stock or old decrepit
animals. Apart from the losses by death from this disease, it causes much
inconvenience to agriculturists, especially during the harvest or ploughing season.
Cattle fairs and markets are responsible for much of the spread of the disease, and
the appearance of one case in a village is often soon followed by general infection
throughout the whole of the village cattle. This is to a great extent owing to
the apathy and ignorance of the villagers themselves, who cannot be induced to
realize the necessity of early treatment, segregation, &c. The veterinary assist-
ants have been kept very busy throughout the year in attending and treating
cases of this disease. Where funds were available medicines have been distribut-
ed free to owners of affected cattle. A special commission on foot-and-mouth
disease from England has been deputed to India to study the disease in situ
and it is hoped will be able as the result of its investigations to enhance the
knowledge of the subject of this disease. Assistance has been rendered the
Commission by this department during their enquiry and morbid material procured
for them.
OTHER CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
24. One hundred and thirty-two heads of cattle are reported as having died
from other contagious diseases which include pleuropneumonia, tuberclosis,
contagious abortion, &c.
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES AMONGST OTHER ANIMALS.
25. Pleuropneumonia and rinderpest have as usual accounted for many
deaths amongst sheep and goats, while foot-and-mouth disease, tetanus,
haemorrhagic septicaemia, sheep pox, rabies, distemper, fowl cholera spirochaetosis,
surra, and various parasitic ailments were responsible for many deaths among the
smaller domesticated animals.
PREVENTIVE INOCULATION.
See table III. 26. During the year under report protective inoculations chiefly against
rinderpest have been carried out on a very large scale, and whenever possible this
method of circumventing the disease is now adopted. Operations of this nature
were undertaken in 892 outbreaks against 397 in the previous year and 62,435
animals have been inoculated during the year under report. Subsequent enquiries
made in those localities where animals were treated with the protective sera attest
that results have been highly satisfactory. Very little opposition is now
encountered, the beneficial consequence of the practice gradually overcoming the
prejudices of the people, in fact in many places inoculation as a preventive
treatment for rinderpest is considered the dastur.