116
10. With regard to (c), viz., suppressing of cattle plagues, it is necessary
to establish a duly organised Civil Veterinary Department; the head of that
Department to be a selected Veterinary Surgeon of the Indian Civil Veterinary
Department.
This officer's duties will be to act as Veterinary Sanitary Adviser to the
Government of Madras, and under his professional supervision and direction
Veterinary Assistants educated at the veterinary school should be employed.
These men will be under the orders of the district authorities, and their services
available in all matters connected with cattle disease repression.
The number of Veterinary Assistants required will depend on the area
of a district and the number of cattle in that district. In the event of cattle
plague of any kind breaking out in a district, the local authorities will direct
the Veterinary Assistant to enquire and report as to the nature of the plague to
the nearest district official. Should the disease be reported of a contagious type,
e.g., rinderpest or anthrax, the district official will cause the affected cattle to
be isolated pending instructions from the district authorities, and will forward
particulars to the head district officer, who will communicate with the head
Civil Veterinary Surgeon of the Government; such local measures with regard
to quarantine and other directions recommended by the latter officer will then
be put in force; and, should it be necessary, the aid of more Veterinary Assist-
ants from other unaffected districts might be obtained, so as to concentrate a
strong veterinary staff where repressive measures are in operation.
11. I am aware of the manifold duties the district officers have to per-
form; but I would, with all deference and earnestness, submit that not the least
of the most important duties devolving upon district officers is the adopting
of any measures whereby the cattle—especially the plough bullocks of the
country—may be preserved in health to till the land from which, it may be said,
the greater part of the revenue is yielded.
12. Referring to the proceedings of the Board of Revenue, dated 22nd
August 1889, I find it recorded on page 14 that the number of cattle that
died from rinderpest and anthrax during the years 1887-88 and 1888-89 was
as follows:—
Years.
1887-88
...
1888-89
...
Died from
rinderpest.
116,558
95,795
Died from anthrax.
34,432
19,893
Total deaths.
150,990
115,688
Estimated value
at Rs. 5 per
head.
Rs.
7,54,950
5,78,440
and estimating that each head was worth Rs. 5, the pecuniary loss sustained
was Rs. 7,54,950 in 1887-88 and Rs. 5,78,440 in 1888-89; and as the spread of
these two very contagious diseases can doubtless be limited under due veteri-
nary supervision and control, the desirability of bringing such measures into
action is apparent. Moreover, the ignorance of stock owners regarding the
nature and treatment of cattle diseases is so manifest that it is incumbent on
the authorities to aid in disseminating a sound knowledge of cattle maladies
with the view of owners learning how to co-operate in any preventive and sup-
pressive measures by which plagues can be staved off, or, when existing, their
spread may be limited or repressed.
13. Referring to the Cattle Disease Prevention Act II of 1886, I would
note my opinion that the provisions of the Act are generally good; but the
clause regarding the slaughter, when deemed necessary, of cattle affected with
plague is one that should be only acted up to on the urgent request of owners
of the affected cattle. My reason for most earnestly urging this very neces-
sary precaution is based on the knowledge that, on account of the religious