2

                               PART III.—PREVENTIVE INOCULATION.

16.  Preventive inoculation was carried on during the whole year. There were 15 outbreaks
of rinderpest in which inoculation was undertaken; 4,183 animals were inoculated by the serum
alone method.

There were 15 deaths reported amongst the inoculated animals; 251 died uninoculated. In
eight reported outbreaks where inoculation was not undertaken, 422 animals died of rinderpest.
In the previous year preventive inoculation was undertaken in 67 outbreaks of rinderpest, 22,199
animals were inoculated, 1,080 died uninoculated.

There were 98 reported deaths amongst the inoculated animals.

17.  This year there were 15 reported outbreaks of anthrax where preventive inoculation was
undertaken. Before inoculation 229 cattle died. There were 86 ponies and 5,440 cattle inoculated
with 19 deaths amongst the cattle. In 9 reported outbreaks where inoculation was not undertaken,
there were 248 deaths amongst bovines.

Last year there were 13 reported outbreaks of anthrax, in which 6,319 animals inoculated
with 14 deaths. There were 187 deaths of uninoculated.

            PART IV.—VETERINARY HOSPITALS AND DISPENSARIES.

18.  There is a temporary hospital and dispensary in Silchar. The total number of in-patients
and out-patients treated was 254. There is still a growing demand for the treatment of common
diseases.

                               PART V.—VETERINARY ASSISTANTS.

19.  During the year one Veterinary Assistant, Mohan Lal P. Gandhi, g.b.v.c., joined for duty
and was posted to the Karimganj Local Board. The Veterinary Assistants visited 229 tea estates
and villages and treated 5,432 animals.

20.  Two of the Veterinary Assistants have done very good work and are keen on their professional
advancement.

                                         PART VI.—EXPENDITURE.

21.  The details of expenditure will be furnished by the Secretary, Surma Valley Branch, Indian
Tea Association.

                                              GENERAL REMARKS.

At the beginning of the year every one settled down to their duties in the face of difficulties,
and it is therefore the more pleasing to report that the work has been carried out, not only with
the at post success but without the least trouble or annoyance to any one. The number of deaths
reported as having taken place after inoculation were cases of uncertainty. The thorough success
of inoculation from every point of view is shown by the very small total number of deaths among
inoculated animals.

The reuslt of the year's operations confirms the opinion expressed last year that the diseases
have now been got under control. It will, however, be necessary to continue inoculation for some
years to come. At this stage it might be of interest to note the progress made by anthrax in the
Cachar district and the abrupt and most satisfactory manner in which its further spread was
stopped by the measures adopted by this Department. Several severe outbreaks of disease with high
mortality were unattended owing to pressure of work in other places and the reports from the thana
officers having reached my office after a considerable delay.

A fundamental principle in the control of disease is the application of methods of precision in
diagnosis. In treatment as well as in prevention the first and most important task is making a
diagnosis, and for this reason the prompt reporting of disease is most essential.

I concur with Mr. Harris in his remarks regarding the method of collecting statistics of animal
mortality.

I am confident that, if the same arrangements for carrying out inoculation of animals b con-
tinued as in the past two years, every care in this direction will be taken to stamp out the most
deadly forms of cattle diseases. Before undertaking the inoculation of animals against anthrax the
reported disease in each outbreak was diagnosed by microseopical examination by me and confirmed
by the Imperial Bacteriologist. I cannot too highly express my appreciation of the valuable assistance
I have received from the medical officers of the several tea gardens in sending me material for
diagnosis. The help given by the Advisory Committee has been invaluable. I wish to record my
appreciation of the great assistance rendered by Managers of gardens and other gentlemen who have
shown a great interest in the work of this Department.

                                                                                       W. H. McCALDRON,
                                                  Veterinary Officer, Surma Valley, Indian Tea Association.