12

        (b)  Dourine.—This disease was also not reported.
        (c)  Anthrax.—An outbreak of equine anthrax occurred
among the Mounted Military Police horses at Jamshedpur in
course of which 3 animals died of the disease. The local
veterinary assistant surgeon and the inspector attended the
outbreak, while the Assistant Director and myself visited the
place and gave necessary instructions. The outbreak subsided
by the close of the year, after the remaining horses were
inoculated with anti-anthrax serum.

As Singhbhum is an anthrax district and the disease
occurred at the Mounted Military Police lines more than once
in the past, it was considered necessary to have the situation
surveyed and an especial enquiry as to the source of the infec-
tion made by the (Veterinary) Disease Investigation Officer.
The Officer made a searching investigation, and from the report
he submitted, it appeared that as already held, grass as suppli-
ed by a local contractor was responsible for the recurrence of
the infection. It may not be out of place here to quote from
the officer's report as follows : —

" From a broad consideration of all the facts available,
the grass (obtained from a local contractor who purchases it
from the local grass-cuts and then sells it to the Police authori-
ties) would appear to be the source of mischief in the outbreak,
and this is in accord with the general known facts about the
epidemiology of the disease. As already stated, grass was
obtained from very questionable sources, and it is possible that
a portion of the consignment on which the animals were fed
immediately prior to attack, was heavily infected. Due to the
improper disposal of carcasses in this country which are lying
about in the fields, infection of pastures with anthrax spores
is not a remote contingence, and we know that once spores have
formed, they may continue to live for years to come."

Supply of green grass from the local dealers was altogether
stopped, and it was recommended that the horses should be
kept on hay from the Military Grass Farm and on concentrates.
The horses numbering 24 have subsequently been protected by
the (Veterinary) Disease Investigation Officer with a new
vaccine (anthrax spore vaccine) prepared by the Veterinary
Research Officer of Burma.

The disease was not' reported in the other two ranges,
North Bihar and Central.

(d) Surra.—Only 1 case of equine surra was reported
from Bikramganj (Shahabad) which was cured by treatment
with naganol.