4
21. Blackquarter.—This
year blackquarter is reported from six districts as
causing 565 deaths. Personally I have not been able to see a single case nor have I
had the opportunity of confirming the diagnosis. Last year four districts reported
the disease and the total number of deaths was 201.
22. Anthrax.—Anthrax has been reported from eleven districts as causing a
mortality of 2,954. The heaviest loss was again in Sylhet and Sibsagar which places
showed the highest mortality last year. In the previous year 2,682 fatalities were
recorded from ten districts.
23. Other contagious diseases caused 17,939 deaths, but particulars of this loss
are not available. Probably in these cases there has been a doubt regarding the
diagnosis by the local people, or evidence has been conflicting. Last year 11,671
deaths were reported under this head.
24. The total number of deaths this year from bovine contagious diseases, reported
from twenty-three districts, is 85,476. Last year twenty-three districts reported a
total mortality of 61,099.
PREVENTIVE INOCULATION.
25. During the year under report there were 359 outbreaks of Rinderpest in
which inoculation by the serum method was undertaken. Inoculation was carried out
in twenty-seven districts and subdivisions. In these outbreaks, 7,673 catties and 121
others died uninoculated and 50,194 cattle and 10 others were inoculated. There
were 444 deaths reported amongst the inoculated animals. In the previous year there
were 249 outbreaks of Rinderpest in 22 districts and subdivisions in which inoculation
was undertaken, 5,687 animals died uninoculated and 52,413 animals were inoculated,
of which 387 subsequently died. There was thus a reduction of 2,200 in the number
of inoculation performed this year as compared with last. This is due to the reduction
in the number of inoculations carried out by the special officer in the Surma Valley.
If the work of the Assistants of the Civil Veterinary Department only be included,
they performed this year 46,011 inoculations in twenty-seven districts and subdivisions
in comparison with 30,182 inoculations in twenty districts and subdivisions in the
previous year. This is an increase of 15,829 inoculations.
26. There were 37 outbreaks of anthrax in 5 districts where preventive inocula-
tion was carried out during the year. Before inoculations 7 horses, 320 bovines and
20 others died. There were 234 horses, 7,126 bovines and 88 others inoculated, of which
8 horses, 26 cattle and 2 others died. Last year there were 36 outbreaks of anthrax
in seven districts and subdivisions in which 28 horses and 572 catties died previous to
inoculation. There were 105 horses and 9,521 bovines inoculated, of which 2 horses
and 28 bovines subsequently died from the disease. I personallymicroscopically
examined materials and confirmed the diagnosis in the outbreak at Dacca, two cases
at North Sylhet and one at Sibsagar. In several cases material was sent up which
proved to be negative and no inoculation was consequently undertaken. I also saw
some specimens kindly sent by Mr. McCaldron from Cachar and Sylhet, which were
all positive. He informs me that all his outbreaks have been diagnosed micros-
copically.
27. In one district preventive inoculation was undertaken from Hæmorrhagic
Spticæmia by the Veterinary Inspector. There 73 animals had died from the disease,
350 animals were inoculated and no further deaths occurred. Last year inoculation
was carried out in two districts, 56 animals died before inoculation, 2,129 animals were
inoculated, of which 11 died.
28. The total number of outbreaks of contagious diseases in which preventive
inoculation was undertaken during the year was 397, and 8,214 animals died before
inoculation. The total number of animals inoculated was 58,002, of which 480 sub-
sequently died. In the previous year the total number of outbreaks attended was
289. Before inoculation 6,344 animals died. The total number of animals inoculated
was 64,168 amongst which a mortality of 428 was reported.
29. Table No. IV shows the number of animals treated by Itinerating Veterinary
Assistants during the year. They visited 6,382 villages and treated 64,012 animals.
Of these, 40,476, were suffering from contagious disease and 23,270 were treated for
non-contagious diseases.
30. These figures show a large increase in comparison with the previous year
when 4,146 villages were visited and a total of 35,354 animals treated. Fifty per
cent. of the latter were treated for contagious disease. This year about 65 per cent,
of the total were treated for contagious diseases. In Tippera district foot-and-mouth
disease was present during the major portion of the year and drugs were greatly