4
The total number of deaths from bovine contagious diseases returned during the
year is 50,276 from 25 districts. Last year 23 districts reported 85,476 deaths.
PREVENTIVE
INOCULATION.
28. During the year there were 376 outbreaks of rinderpest in which inoculation
by the serum alone method was performed. Inoculation was undertaken in 35 districts
and subdivisions. In these outbreaks 8,096 animals died uninoculated and 38,153
bovines and 83 others were inoculated. There were 339 deaths reported amongst the
inoculated. In the previous year inoculation was carried out in 27 districts and sub-
divisions, there were 359 outbreaks of rinderpest in which 7,794 animals died, and 50,194
bovines and 10 others were inoculated, of which 444 subsequently died. There is thus
a reduction of 11,968 in the number of inoculations during the year as compared with
the previous year. This reduction is due to several causes, such as reduced number of
inoculations by the special Veterinary staff in the Surma Valley and diminution in the
general prevalence of disease, but chiefly because during three months in the year
serum was not available and no inoculation was undertaken. During the remainder
of the time the Assistants were informed that the supply was limited and they were
instructed to inoculate only the valuable and young animals and those fit for work.
This matter is referred to in the general remarks.
29. The largest number of inoculations were done during the year in the districts of
Sylhet, Bakarganj, Jalpaiguri, Dhubri and Tezpur. In the previous year the districts of
Jalpaiguri, Sibsagar, Sylhet, Bakarganj, Cachar, Dhubri and Tezpur showed the greatest
number of inoculations. Staff Veterinary Assistants were deputed from headquarters
to Bakarganj, Jalpaiguri, Darrang and Nowgong to assist the local men in combating
the disease.
30. There were 22 outbreaks of Anthrax in 10 subdivisions in which 13 horses,
175 bovines and one elephant died before inoculation. In 17 outbreaks the disease
was definitely diagnosed by microscopical examination. In two outbreaks the disease
occurred where it had been previously diagnosed and in three outbreaks it was not
diagnosed microscopically.
In these outbreaks 302 horses and 3,203 bovines were inoculated, and one horse
and two bovines were reported as having died from the disease afterwards, but this was
not definitely confirmed. The number of suspected outbreaks which proved negative
after examination was 28, of which five came from Cachar, seven from Sylhet, two
from Gauhati, three from Nowgong and 11 from Sibsagar.
In the previous year there were 37 outbreaks in which seven horses and 320 bovines
died and 234 horses and 7,126 bovines were inoculated. The outbreaks during the
year under report are diminished by 15, and the total number of deaths and number
of inoculations are also reduced. This may be due in part to the fact that the disease
was less prevalent, but more care has been taken to diagnose microscopically every
suspected case and inoculations have not been undertaken until the disease was
confirmed and thus a considerable number of cases formerly included have been
eliminated.
31. No inoculation was undertaken for Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia during the year.
32. The total number of outbreaks in which inoculation was undertaken was 398,
in which 8,255 animals died before inoculation. The tolal number of animals inocu-
lated was 41,747, of which 342 subsequently died. In the previous year the number
of outbreaks was 397 and 8,214 animals died before inoculation; the total number of
inoculation was 58,002, of which 480 subsequently died.
33. Table IV shows the work of the itinerant Veterinary Assistants during
the year. They visited 6,662 villages and treated 73,629 animals. Of these 32,909
were suffering from contagious diseases and 40,544 were treated for non-contagious
diseases. In the previous year 6,382 villages were visited, 40,476 animals were treated
for contagious diseases and 23,270 were treated for non-contagious diseases. These
figures indicate that contagious disease was not so prevalent during the year under
report as in the previous year as there is a decrease of 7,567 animals treated for
contagious diseases; on the other hand, there is an increase of 17,274 animals treated
for non-contagious diseases.
34. Two Government Veterinary Assistants were again placed on the Gauhati-
Shillong tonga line. During the past year there has been some improvement in the
condition of the working ponies. The animals have also been better cared for. One
case of glanders and twenty-two cases of surra were found; these either died in isolation
sheds or were destroyed. In the previous year 4 cases of glanders and 48 cases of
surra were detected.