(3)
II.—TREATMENT OF DISEASE.
See table II.
16. During the year there has been a decrease in the number of deaths
reported from contagious disease, the mortality being 26,916 as compared with 33,860
of last year. Rinderpest as usual was responsible for 19,839 of the deaths recorded.
At the same time more reports of outbreaks have been received and have been
submitted with more system and regularity than in the past. Although these
figures might still at first appear to be a somewhat high, it must be understood
that with the increasing attention which is now given to this branch of the work
and the greater facilities for ascertaining details and reporting outbreaks many
more cases now are brought to our notice than was the case in past years, when it
frequently happened during severe seasons that hundreds of outbreaks occurred
without ever being reported. Now that the outbreak and mortality returns are
submitted with greater system and regularity, it is probable that approximately
accurate estimates of the extent of contagious disease, with its attendant annual
mortality, are being obtained.
Equine.
17. Equine contagious diseases occurring in the four selected horse-breeding
districts Muzaffarnagar, Aligarh, Bulandshahr and Meerut, is dealt with by the
Army Remount department, while the Army Veterinary Corps deals with the
affected animals in the various branches of the Military department. The figures
here only refer to cases brought directly under the notice of the Civil Veterinary
department.
18. Glanders and Farcy.—This disease appeared during the year in the
districts of Dehra Dun, Allahabad, Budaun, Benares, Basti, Naini Tal and
Lucknow, and 11 animals either succumbed to the malady or were destroyed in
accordance with the Glanders and Farcy Act. Rupees sixty-two have been awarded
in compensation during the year for compulsory slaughter of animals to poor
owners to whom the loss would be very severe.
19. Surra.—This year this disease has appeared to be less widespread than
in former years. It made its appearance as usual in the tracts along the foot of the
hills in the vicinity of Kathgodam, and two cases occurred in Budaun. Twenty-
one equines are either known to have succumbed to the disease or were destroyed.
20. Dourine.—It is satisfactory to note that no cases have been reported
during the year.
21. Tetanus.—Many cases of this disease have this year been reported by
veterinary assistants and 77 proved fatal. There is every reason to believe that
this malady amongst animals is much more prevalent than is generally supposed,
but except in cases actually brought to the veterinary assistants, difficulty is
experienced in obtaining accurate information.
22. Strangles.—Ten cases of this disease have been reported, one of which
was fatal. Here again it is believed that many more cases occur than ever are
notified to this department.
23. Epizootic Lymphangitis.—No cases were reported.
24. Other contagious diseases.—Under this heading, cases of horse pox,
piroplasmosis, influenza, anthrax, rabies, as well as those diseases caused by
internal and external parasites have been met with, but up to the present it has
not been found practical to introduce a reliable system for obtaining returns.
Bovine.
25. Rinderpest.—During the year under report there has been some slight
abatement in the ravages of this disease and many localities have escaped its
virulence altogether. It assumed a severe form in the districts of Jhansi, Banda,
Bijnor and Garhwal. Vigorous campaigns were organized where the disease
assumed a serious aspect, and veterinary assistants were deputed from the
provincial headquarters staff under experienced inspectors to give assistance in
these cases where the district board staff was considered insufficient or incapable of
dealing with them thoroughly. Inoculations were carried out in 41 districts, and
in Jhansi and Garhwal alone thirty-three thousand three hundred and seven cattle
were immunized.
26. Hæmorrhagic septicæmia.—This appeared in 36 districts with a total
mortality of 1,765 as against 2,068 of last year. This is a very satisfactory