APPENDIX A.
REPORT OF THE VETERINARY DEPARTMENT,
SURMA VALLEY BRANCH, INDIAN TEA ASSOCIATION,
FOR THE YEAR ENDING THE 31ST MARCH 1908.
PREFACE—GENERAL ADMINISTRATION.
During the last two years or more Managers of tea-gardens in the Surma Valley were continu-
ously approached with requests for some measures to be taken to protect the cattle of the villagers from
the ravages of rinderpest and other infectious diseases. The matter was taken up by the Surma Valley
Branch India Tea Association, and representations to the Government of Eastern Bengal and Assam
for a grant of Rs. 15,000 for the purpose of combating rinderpest, anthrax and kindred diseases in the
Surma Valley having met with a sympathetic response, a grant of Rs. 5,000 was made for the financial
year ending 31st March 1907, and a further grant of Rs. 10,000 was made for the year 1907-08. I was
appointed Veterinary Officer with a small staff of assistants, and took over charge at Silchar on the
25th February 1907. A working and advisory Committee was formed for Sylhet and Cachar.
I.—TREATMENT OF DISEASE.
1. Very few deaths of equines from contagious diseases have been reported, i.c., 9 in Sylhet and
1 in Silchar from anthrax. I am confident that many more deaths must have occurred, and not
reported.
2. Surra.—Eorty-six cases occurred amongst the trolly ponies at Rajghat Tea Estate and 1 at Pri-
thampassa. At Rajghat, 31 ponies died, and 11 were destroyed on my recommendation, four were
successfully treated. The case at Prithampassa was fatal. The diagnosis in these case3 was confirmed
by microscopical examination.
BOVINES.
8. Rinderpest.—This disease was rife practically the whole year, and carried off 1,178 animals
in this valley, i.e., reported cases.
4. Foot-and-mouth disease.—This disease was prevalent more or less throughout the year: all
reported eases were successfully treated. A number of cases reported as foot-and-mouth disease were
found to be rinderpest.
5. Anthrax.—Sylhet was most severely affected with 168 deaths, and 22 deaths were reported
in Cachar.
6. Hæmorrhagic septicæmia—Was reported from Kalaura and Martycherra, the total mortality
being 70, as follows :—
Martycherra, March 1907
Kalaura, January 1908
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PREVENTIVE INOCULATION.
7. A vigorous campaign of preventive inoculation was carried on during the whole year
attended by a considerable measure of success. There were 67 outbreaks of rinderpest, in which
inoculation was undertaken, 22,199 animals were inoculated, 1,080 died uninoculated. There were 98
reported deaths amongst inoculated animals. There were 13 outbreaks of anthrax, in which 6,319
animals were inoculated, with 14 deaths ; there were 187 deaths of uninoculated. This includes
equines and one elephant. In one outbreak of hæmorrhagic septicaemia, in which 22 animals
died, 484 were inoculated with 4 deaths after inoculation.
8. I visited 162 tea estates and villages and treated 4,391 animals for contagious diseases, and
l,216 for non-contagious diseases, and castrated 31 animals.
VETERINARY HOSPITALS AND DISPENSARIES.
9. When I took charge, there were no Veterinary dispensaries. At present there are two, one in
Silchar, the other at Hailakandi: these are temporary, for the treatment of out-patients. There is a
marked increase in the number of out-patients at Silchar.
VETERINARY ASSISTANTS.
10. During the year four Veterinary Assistants joined for duty and were posted as follows :—
One for Cachar.
Two for South Sylhet.
One lent to the Hailakandi Local Board, to be paid by the Local Board and Planters of that
subdivision, and to work under my orders and instructions. During the year one Assistant had to
be dismissed, as he proved himself unfit for the duties he was called upon to perform.
11. The Veterinary Assistants visited 158 villages and tea estates, treated 781 animals for
contagious diseases, 730 for non-contagious diseases, performed no castrations.
EXPENDITURE.
12. The details of expenditure will be furnished by the Secretary, Surma Valley Branch Indian
Tea Association.