3
EQUINES.
14. Glanders.—There
were 49 cases of glanders reported from five districts
against 14 cases from six districts in the previous year.
15. The most serious outbreaks were at Rajshahi and Rangpur, where 20 and 16
deaths, respectively, occurred. Rangpur has reported serious outbreaks for the last
three successive years.
16. Diagnosis was confirmed in all the districts. The system of giving compen-
sation to owners of animals destroyed under the provision of the Glanders and Farcy
Act was introduced at the beginning of the year. Forty-four animals were destroyed
and compensation, amounting to Rs. 708, was given in 40 cases, compensation was
not given in four cases as the owners of the animals did not carry out the necessary
instructions nor conform to the regulations. The five remaining cases died. The
granting of compensation has undoubtedly increased the facility for suppressing the
disease, and steps can be taken more promptly to stamp it out. The rules for the
granting of compensation are working well so far as can be seen at present, and are
unpopular only with those who do not understand the gravity of the disease. Horse
owners have not shown any readiness to report suspected cases; but when the cases
have been found there is less opposition to the application of the mallein test.
17. Anthrax.—Twenty-seven
deaths from this disease have been reported
from 9 districts. In the previous year 22 deaths were reported from seven districts.
The diagnosis was confirmed by microscopical examination in all the districts with
the exception of the Garo Hills where there is no Veterinary Assistant.
18. Surra.—Twenty-six
deaths have been reported from three districts. Twenty of
the deaths occurred amongst the ponies on the Shillong-Gauhati road. The diagnosis in
Kamrup and Khasi and Jaintia Hils was confirmed by microscopical examination,
but the cases in Darrang were not reported in time to allow of a diagnosis being made.
Last year 29 deaths were reported from four districts.
19. Dourine
and Epizootic
Lymphangitis.—No
case of do urine was reported
during the year. One case of epizootic lymphangitis was found and microscopical
examination confirmed the diagnosis. The history showed that the pony had come
from the Native State of Hill Tippera.
20. The number of deaths from other contagious diseases in horses has been
reported as 38 against 115 in the previous year. No further details are available.
BOVINES.
21. Rinderpest.—This
disease was more or less prevalent throughout the entire
Province. This is especially evident in the districts of Nowgong, Darrang, Sibsagar,
Kamrup, Cachar, Sylhet, and Lakhimpur, but even in these districts the mortality has
diminished by 5,743. Tin's disease was reported from 24 districts and caused 19, 37
deaths against 28,860 and 41,126 deaths in the previous two years. The total
number of deaths reported shows a considerable reduction, which decrease is so far
satisfactory.
22. Foot-and-mouth disease—.This disease has been reported from 18 districts and
caused 6,252 deaths. In the previous year it was reported from 19 districts, cansing
7,763 deaths. Nowgong, Sibsagar, and Darrang report the heaviest loss. Out of the
total of 6,252 deaths 5,739 are reported from the Assam Valley Districts. This disease
has usually a low mortality, so it is most probable that many of the cases have been
wrongly diagnosed.
23. Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia.—This
disease has been reported from 16 districts
and caused 6,095 deaths. Last year it was reported from 15 districts and caused
3,327 deaths. The heaviest mortality has been reported from Kamrup and Nowgong.
The diagnosis was confirmed in the districts of Dacca, Mymensingh, Noakhali, Malda,
Sylhet, Sibsagar, and Kamrup.