9

                  2. TREATMENT OF DISEASES.

21.    The year was an unhealthy one for cattle. 9,797
outbreaks of contagious diseases were either reported or
detected, with a mortality of 28,690 against 8,018 out-
breaks and 20,900 deaths of the previous year which is an
increase of 22.187 per cent in outbreaks and 37.267 in
deaths.

22.    Rinderpest.—This disease prevailed throughout
the province and its virulence was most marked in the
Chhattisgarh, Jubbulpore and Nagpur Divisions. The
highest number of outbreaks, namely 635, was recorded
from Raipur district. It prevailed to a greater extent in
the months of December 1928 to March 1929. 2,553 out
of 2,578 outbreaks were attended. A higher mortality
occurs in rinderpest outbreaks when the infection is
complicated by a resuscitation of piroplasmosis or
coccidiosis latent in the animal, and these are common
sequelæ in this province.

23.     1,71,238 animals were protected with anti-
rinderpest serum in 1,206 outbreaks. The mortality from
this disease was 17,878 as against 14,106 of last year.
Although opposition to inoculation was shown in a few
remote villages, as a whole preventive methods were will-
ingly accepted.

24.     In the absence of any legislation to prevent the
movement of infected animals from place to place, the
control of the spread of this disease is a very grave
problem.

25.    Foot-and-mouth disease.—Except in the Bhan-
dara and Nimar districts the disease prevailed in the whole
province in a much milder form than in the previous year.
There were 5,102 outbreaks with a death roll of 625 as
against 5,315 outbreaks and 728 deaths of last year.
Deaths reported from this disease are probably, almost
invariably, due to a recrudescence of acute piroplasmosis
in animals already debilitated by the attacks of foot-and-
mouth disease, and not directly due to the latter, which
occurs in a very mild form in these provinces. The econo-
mic loss sustained, however, by the animals remaining
unfit for a time for farm work, is greater than may be