8
disease in the field. The arsenical treatment prescribed by Captain Holmes,
Imperial Bacteriologist, is not yet simple enough to be made applicable in the
districts generally. It is hoped that the treatment will be further simplified so
that every Veterinary Assistant can readily apply it. If this can be done it will
be of enormous economic benefit.
Dourine.—Table II.
12. No cases of dourine were detected during the
year.
SECTION 1 (b).—BOVINE CONTAGIOUS DISEASE.
Mortality.—Table II.
13. During the year, 42,168 deaths were reported
against 41,106 last year.
Rinderpest.—Table II.
14. Forty-eight thousand two hundred and twenty-six cases of rinder-
pest were reported with 18,055 deaths during the year,
against 17,247 cases and 8,739 deaths last year. This
enormous increase is in all probability due to the short supply of serum from the
laboratory, which was wholly discontinued for four months, when the disease
is usually very prevalent. In the Central circle only, indents for 51,250 doses
required for 42 outbreaks could not be met.
Preventive inoculation.
15. Forty-three thousand two hundred and fifty inoculations were per-
formed on contact animals in 283 outbreaks by the subor-
dinate staff with satisfactory results. Last year, 60,258
animals were inoculated in 270 outbreaks. In the course of 283 outbreaks
which were attended by the veterinary staff, 5,704 uninoculated animals died, but
only 95 deaths occurred after inoculation.
Attitude of the public
towards inoculation.
16. There were a few instances of unwillingness to accept inoculation,
but in the majority of these, the opposition was overcome
without difficulty. In some districts in out of the way
places, the people are entirely against inoculation, but on the whole the method is
appreciated and is becoming popular.
Hæmorrhagic Septicæ-
mia.— Tables II and III.
17. Hæmorrhagic septicæmia was reported from all the districts in the
Punjab. Lahore and Shahpur suffered the most with 2,311
and 3,265 deaths respectively. The total number of deaths
from this disease amounted to 18,255 out of 22,671 animals attacked against
20,822 deaths in 26,082 cases last year.
Preventive inoculation.—
Table III,
18. As explained last year, the issue of the preventive serum has been
suspended by the Inspector-General, Civil Veterinary Depart-
ment, and therefore no serum was used during the year
under report. A preventive vaccine which produced good results in the labora-
tory was tried in various villages where Hæmorrhagic septicaemia annually
appears in the three circles. Two hundred and ninety-eight cattle were vaccinated,
but as the disease has not appeared again up to the present time no result
regarding the efficacy of the vaccine could be obtained. However, the laboratory
results have shown the efficacy of the method and it may safely be applied where
the necessity is indicated. Protection is afforded for about three months. But
the appearances of this disease are so irregular, and outbreaks are so very sudden
and so quickly over, that it is difficult to bring the vaccine into practical use.
Foot and mouth disease.—
Table II.
19. Foot and mouth disease was reported from every district in the
Punjab. Two lakhs forty-seven thousand four hundred
and twenty-three cases were reported, of which 3,899
ended fatally against 70,606 and 1,241 respectively last year. With a long
wet summer, this disease was naturally very common. Part of the increase
is also to be ascribed to better reporting. One thousand six hundred and eighty-
seven deaths were reported from Kangra against 65 last year. The Veterinary
staff did excellent work in treating the cases. The keenness of the people to get
their animals treated by modern methods in this disease is most encouraging.
Black quarter—Table III.
20. Black quarter was reported from 16 districts in the Punjab with
1,546 deaths against 721 last year. Hissar, Rohtak,
Shahpur and Attock suffered most.