6
This is interesting when read with the report of the Bengal Superintendent,
which shows that only 12,394 deaths from contagious disease were reported to
his office from the whole of the province during the year. The fact too that
26,45,675 hides were exported from Madras alone during the year also gives
some idea of the possible mortality from disease in the country. The executive
and supervising staff is so infinitesimal in many provinces that we are scarcely
able to touch the fringe of the work, and the agency employed for the collec-
tion of statistics, although the best that can at present be devised, is extremely
unsatisfactory Reports are submitted by non-professional men who are generally
incapable of diagnosing disease and consequently it is impossible even to classify
the outbreaks reported under their proper headings. I think, however, while
admitting the unreliable nature of the figures supplied, that some improvement
in reporting has taken place during the year; slight, it must be acknowledged,
but still an advance in the right direction. The outbreaks reported have been
more than the Departmental staff could attend to and deal with. The progressive
increase in the number of the subordinate aud supervising staff and the improve-
ment which is gradually taking place in organisation will, year by year, improve
our methods and capabilities of obtaining information of and dealing with
outbreaks of contagious disease.
36. Table III shows the number of outbreaks which it has been possible
for the staff to deal with by protective inoculation. It also this year contains
a record of the reported number of deaths which occurred in the uninoculated
cattle in the outbreaks in which protective inoculation was undertaken
excepting in the case of Burma and Madras.
37. Protective inoculations against Rinderpest were carried out in all
provinces except Sind, Rajputana and Baluchistan; against Hæmorrhagic
Septicæmia in the United Provinces, Punjab, Madras and North-West Frontier
Province; and against Anthrax in the United Provinces, Madras and Assam.
38. Rinderpest accounted for 137,233, or more than half the total num-
ber of deaths from contagious disease reported, against 92,090 head last year.
The greatest mortality occurred in Burma where 91,380 head are reported to
have perished despite the efforts made by the Department to deal with it.
Segregation and inoculation were adopted whenever possible, but the Burman
has not yet realized the advantages of the serum and is apparently too apathetic
to bother about having his animals treated. The difficulties experienced in
travelling about the country, in certain seasons, are very great and prevent
assistance arriving in time to be of much use. It was found possible, however,
to perform serum injections in Myingyan, Kyaukse and Yamethin in Upper
Burma. Pegu and Toungoo in Lower Burma. The total number of animals
inoculated with good results in 118 villages being 6,335. No spontaneous
applications for preventive inoculation have, however, been made by the people.
It is hoped that by gradually carrying on inoculations in various convenient
areas, the people will come to understand that the serum is useful in saving
their animals. There has been a slight increase in the number inoculated, as
only 2,727 were done last year.
39. The disease was particularly prevalent and severe in the Southern
Shan States. The cattle being hill animals are extremely susceptible and the
disease, introduced from the West spread eastwards at a terrific pace appearing
to go right through the country and come back on its course, attacking those
villages which it had missed on its first onslaught. Segregation proved futile
and the animals died faster than they could be devoured by dogs and vultures
or buried by the people. 67,697 animals are reported to have perished.
40. Upper Burma also suffered to a very considerable extent, especially
in the dry zone, in Minbu, Pakokku, Myingyan and Yamethin districts.
41. In Bengal the disease is reported to have been prevalent throughout
the province, causing 9,023 deaths. The districts chiefly suffering loss were
Burdwan, Darjeeling, Shahabad, Sonthal Parganahs, Balasore, Ranchi, Pala-
mau, Manbhum and Sambhalpur. It is remarked that serious outbreaks were
not reported, in many cases, to the Superintendent and that the machinery
employed for the collection of statistics has been found insufficient to ensure