5
disease is not yet decided, but Dr. Lingard considers that the organism is pro-
bably an attenuated form of the Bacillus mallei.
31. Anthrax and Surra.—The returns of other equine contagious disease
are not of much value as they only relate to cases which have been seen.
Thirty-two deaths from Anthrax in equines, 117 cases of Surra of which 104
occurred in the Punjab, and 2 of Dourine are reported from the whole of India;
and 1,060 deaths from contagious disease other than those named. It is reported
that there have been severe outbreaks of Surra in the Punjab during the year in
Ferozepore and Lahore districts. The desirability of destroying equines affected
with Surra which never recover and prove a source of danger during the season
when biting flies are prevalent, has been recognised and provided for by schedu-
ling the disease under the Glanders and Farcy Act in places where it is possible
to confirm the diagnosis by a microscopical examination of the blood. It was
applied in Calcutta and its suburbs, the Quetta Tahsil, Madras City, the town
of Bandora, the Cantonment and Municipal limits of Peshawar, Lahore City
and Civil Station, and Rangoon. It is most important in places where Surra
occurs to keep a sharp look-out and examine the blood of all fever cases at the
commencement of the Surra season in equines, so as to remove an infected
animal as soon as possible and thus prevent spread of the disease from the first
case by means of the Tabanidæ. Surra causes great losses in certain tracts
every year but deaths are seldom reported as they occur more or less sporadical-
ly and owners do not trouble to seek advice, knowing that there is no cure and
that death is the inevitable result of the disease.
32. Epizootic Lymphangitis appears still to be more or less confined to the
Army, only one case being reported from Bombay. With the object of prevent-
ing spread in our districts, it has been scheduled with Surra under the Glanders
and Farcy Act of 1899.
33. Dourine does not appear to be very widely spread as only 2 cases are
reported from the non-selected districts. There can be no doubt whatever that
the stringent measures taken to stamp this disease out in the selected districts
have been attended with great success. In addition to these, measures for the
protection of the breeding stock have been taken in the United Provinces and
Punjab. In the United Provinces, the senior Veterinary Assistant in charge
of the Depôt Stables having been specially trained in this disease by Dr. Lingard
at Muktesar, was deputed to visit every stallion stand, carefully inspect every
horse, and to explain to the darindahs and mare owners as far as possible the
symptoms and nature of the disease. A bulletin on the symptoms, etc., of the
disease in simple language prepared by me has been freely distributed to breed-
ers. In the Punjab also, information regarding the nature of the disease has
been widely disseminated and rules issued for the guidance of the Veterinary
staff in the event of cases being detected. Cases of the disease doubtless exist
in certain districts but with proper care and suitable legislation there should
now be no fear of any extensive epizooty. The form of legislation to be adopted
is still under discussion.
34. Other contagious diseases.—Of the diseases not named in the Table, I
am glad to be able to report that White Scour has been successfully dealt with
in one at least of the studs in which it had been reported last year. No
information has been received regarding the other, so it is presumed that it is
free. The advice given by this Department has resulted in complete cessation
of the disease. Strangles is perhaps the next most troublesome and fatal disease
of equines in India, the irregular form in which mesenteric abscess occurs being
very common indeed. Tetanus is also troublesome in some areas and at certain
seasons of the year. Horse pox is a very common and contagious disease but is
seldom fatal. Efforts are being made in Europe to obtain a preventive against
Strangles. If these be successful, many valuable equine lives will be saved in
this country.
Contagions dise-
ase in Bovines. out-
breaks, preventive
inoculation, morta-
lity, etc.
35. Altogether 242,782 cattle are reported to have died from contagious
disease during the year in the whole of India. The returns are not only un-
reliable, but quite misleading. If this required any proof, it is forthcoming in
the fact that statistics collected in the limited area of the Surma Valley by the
Tea Association Committee show that the mortality from Rinderpest alone in
the Valley during last year, amongst cattle and buffaloes, exceeded 200,000.