"VETERINARY SCHOOL), BURMA, FOR THE YEAR ENDEO THE 31st MARCH 1939.      13

supplied. What has struck me very forcibly in preparing this report
has been the extraordinary discrepancy between the deaths from non-
contagious and from contagious disease. I would draw attention for
instance to the following figures :—

Meiktila district reports 28 deaths from Rinderpest and 6 from
Anthrax ; total 34 ; deaths from other causes 1,007.

Minbu reports Anthrax 4 deaths, Foot-and-mouth 13 deaths,
total 17 ; other causes 2,525.

Pegu reports Rinderpest 197, Anthrax 49, Foot-and-mouth 51,
total 297 ; other causes 4,914.

Bassein reports Rinderpest 9, Anthrax 20, Foot-and-mouth
disease 277 ; total 306, other causes 4,410.

These figures have been taken from the cattle mortality returns
this year. When it is borne in mind that the mortality figures for
the contagious diseases mentioned generally accepted by the Veteri-
nary profession throughout the world are:—

           Rinderpest, mild outbreak, 20 per cent.—severe 75—90
                per cent.

            Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia in cattle, 85—95 per cent.

            Hæmorrhagic Septicæmia in buffaloes—

                 Italian authorities 50—60 per cent.

                 Hungarian authorities 87—98 per cent.

Foot-and-mouth disease, mild affection, 0.2—0.5 per cent.
Foot-and-mouth disease, malignant, 50—70 per cent., it seems to
me a very fair conclusion that all the cases of contagious disease
were not reported as such but registered under " Other Causes."
The Deputy Commissioner, Insein, reviewing the figures for his
district remarks : " Assuming the above figures are true and complete
we are faced with the fact that the three main cattle diseases account
for less than 3 per cent. of the total deaths of cattle from disease or
natural causes or snakes and wild animals. We know this can hardly
be true. No explanation of the discrepancy is offered." The
accuracy of registration has been repeatedly questioned by my prede-
cessors and I only draw attention to it in view of the rosolutions passed
at the second Veterinary Conference at Calcutta in March this year.

I am no great believer in the ignorance of the Burman cultivator ;
every one who has been brought up with stock must know the signs
of health and disease, no matter what his nationality. He may not
know the scientific nomenclature used by English Veterinary Surgeons
any more than English farmers do but like them he has his own
popular names for diseases and if he does not register deaths correctly
under those names the reason is to save himself the inconvenience of
the cattle disease rules and restrictions. I give one more example—
2,149 animals died of debility or old age in Amherst district and 394
of snake bite. Even in districts where registration is strictly enforced
District Officers have not the professional ability to criticise the death
returns ; a large number of deaths from diarrhoea for instance would
not suggest the possibility of rinderpest. In spite of these criticisms
I am of opinion registration should be compulsory throughout the
Province and the monthly returns carefully scrutinised. It is only by
this means that we will in time get a true estimate of the state of affairs.