3

                                                BOVINES.

18.  Rinderpest.—This disease was reported from all districts except the Naga
Hills and Lakhimpur and caused 11,764 deaths against 9,030 from 10 districts in
the previous year. Severe outbreaks were reported from Sylhet and Goalpara districts.
In the Goalpara district the infection is said to have been introduced by herds of
up-country bullocks passing towards Upper Assam.

19.  Foot-and-mouth disease.—The disease has been reported from 10 districts and
caused 2,985 deaths. In the previous year 2,370 deaths were reported from 10
districts.

20.  Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia.—Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia was reported from
9 districts. Altogether 1,627 deaths from the disease have been reported against
1,660 deaths from 8 districts in the previous year.

21.     Black quarter.—Black quarter occurred in 4 districts, the total number of
Casualties being 23. The disease was diagnosed microscopically in one instance only
that being from the Khasi and Jaintia Hills. In the previous year 9 deaths were
reported from 2 districts.

22.  Anthrax.—This disease was reported from 9 districts and caused 757 deaths.
In the previous year 1,156 deaths were reported from 8 districts. The disease was
diagnosed miscroscopically in all the districts except in Garo Hills.

23.  Other contagious diseases.—Six thousand seven hundred and eighty-four
deaths were recorded under this head in 8 districts. In the previous year 6,814
deaths were reported from 8 districts.

                                             OTHER ANIMALS.

24.  Contagious disease amongst other animals.—Three thousand three hundred
and seventy-seven deaths were reported from 11 districts. In the previous year 4,072
deaths were reported from 11 districts. No details are available.

25.  Absence of legislation and effective means to prevent the movement of
diseased or incontact cattle from one place to another renders it impossible to stop
the spread of infection.

In order to obtain effective control of contagious diseases it is necessary to
increase the district staff.

                                   PREVENTIVE INOCULATION.

26.  Table III shows the number and the result of preventive inoculation done
in the province during the year.

27.  Rinderpest.—Inoculations against Rinderpest were carried out in 193 out-
breaks in 15 subdivisions. In these outbreaks 4,940 animals died previous to the
inoculation. Altogether 18,043 cattle were inoculated by th3 serum alone method.
There were 240 deaths reported amongst the inoculated animals.

In the previous year inoculation was undertaken in 226 outbreaks in 15 subdivi-
sions. In these outbreaks 5,128 animals died before inoculation and 18,776 bovines
were inoculated of which 220 bovines died subsequently.

The largest number of inoculations was done in Sunamganj, Habiganj and
Silchar subdivisions. The outbreak of Rinderpest in Sunamganj subdivision was
extensive. In this subdivision 4,117 inoculations were done. In the previous year
Dhubri, Karimganj and Sunamganj showed the largest number.

28.  During the year under report the cattle of the Government Farm at Upper
Shillong were inoculated by the Serum Simultaneous Method for active or permanent
immunisation against Rinderpest with satisfactory result.

29. Anthrax.—During the year 77 specimens of suspected Anthrax were received
in the Laboratory of which 55 were diagnosed as Anthrax. Inoculations were per-
formed in 13 subdivisions in 52 outbreaks. In these outbreaks 7 equines, 304 bovines
and 10 others were reported to have died before inoculation; 248 equines, 2,650
bovines and 4 others were inoculated of which 3 bovines died.

In the previous year inoculation was undertaken in 59 outbreaks in which 19
equines, 307 bovines and 5 others died before inoculation ; 363 equines, 3,790 bovines
and 44 others were inoculated of which 1 equine and 10 bovines died subsequently.