PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
C.O. 882
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
8 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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12. Unfortunately the appointment of the proposed Committee of Veterinary Surgeons had to be cancelled by Government, owing to the high rate of fees claimed by some of them.
13. On 4th April, 1902, His Excellency "the Governor's order reached me, appointing three of the Medical Officers on the Headquarter Staff (Drs. Bolton, Barbeau and Momplé) to form a committee with the assistance of Mr. V. S. Galdemar. 14. In the meantime, the disease had spread to other districts of the Colony, and besides oxen, horses, mules and asses became affected.
15. On the 21st April, 1902, certain planters of Flacq district waited upon me and reported that Dr. Aimé Lesur, who had been carrying out some bacteriological experiments, had succeeded in discovering what he believed to be the effective agent in the causation of the disease, and had also met with success in its treatment. I thereupon suggested (Letter C/1320 of April. 21, 1902) Dr. Lesur's temporary appointment for making further researches and experiments, which suggestion was adopted.
16. On 25th April, I caused to be notified in all the daily newspapers the lines of treatment suggested by Dr. Lesur.
17. Before that date, the committee referred to in paragraph 13 had caused the following advice to be given to owners of infected animals:-
(A) Isolation of sick.
(B) Destruction of carcases by fire when possible, or burial immediately after
death.
(c) Destruction of soiled litter.
(D) Avoidance of dew-covered pasturage or marshy pasture grounds. (E) Early treatment of sick.
18. Dr. Lesur having sent to head office some slides which revealed the
presence of a protozoon in the blood of a horse affected by the disease, the diagnosis of " Surra was made by the Medical Inspector on 17th April, 1902. A few days after, Dr. Lesur verbally reported to the President of the Cattle Diseases Inquiry Committee the discovery of the protozoon made by him, when further investigations were undertaken by the Medical Officers of this Department in connection with the disease prevailing
in oxen.
The Medical Inspector's diagnosis of "Surra" was confirmed.
This disease is known to exist in certain parts of India, and is somewhat similar to that known in South Africa as the "Tsetse-fly disease."
19. It was after this discovery was made that one of the members of the com- mittee (Dr. Barbeau), suggested that information be obtained from Natal as to the best means for dealing with the distemper. (Letter C/1478 of May 5, 1902, to Colonial Secretary.)
20. Information was also cabled for from the Government of Bombay on the same subject. (M.P. 4451/02.)
21. Detailed information regarding the treatment of "Surra" and the measures adopted in India for its prevention have since been published for general information. (Government Gazette, No. 56, of 1902.)
22. The mode of introduction of the disease is somewhat uncertain.
By some
it is reported to be of recent date and is alleged to coincide with the introduction of bullocks from India during the latter part of last year. Others-and among them some old planters and the Senior Veterinary Surgeon-affirm that the disease has always existed here in a sporadic form. It is stated to have prevailed with great intensity in the Colony during 1887-88.
23. The common house-fly is believed to be the agent in the transmission of the infection, although the examination of the blood from flies and ticks has not yet disclosed the rôle which these insects might play in the transmission of the protozoon. 24. Liquor Arsenicalis had been tried before the receipt of the communication from the Government of Bombay referred to in paragraph 20, but does not appear to have been altogether successful. Quinine, which had apparently proved beneficial, has since been found to be of no avail.
Indeed, the Tsetse Fly Disease Commission, appointed by the Royal Society of London in 1896, whose report was published in 1898, mentioned that no effective remedy is known against the discase. Another substance, the "Tachiol," has recently been stated to be an efficacious remedy against "Surra." ("The Lancet," 8th February, 1902.)
25. With reference to His Excellency the Governor's Minute of the 13th instant, calling for a statement as to the measures taken by this Department to secure the effective carrying out of the provisions of Ordinance 39 of 1881, I beg to state that they may be summarized as follows:-
Art. 14. On receipt of the report mentioned in paragraph 1, the estate "Constance" (D.) was declared to be infected and the movements of cattle within the area prohibited. Subsequently, the three northern districts were declared to be infected area (vide paragraphi 11), and the movements of cattle outside these districts prohibited.
It was not possible to include horses, asses and mules in the Proclamation, as such a course would have led to the wholesale suspension of traffic in these districts, as previously reported
Moreover, the Veterinary Surgeons who had to deal with the disease denied, until quite recently, that the disease which attacked bullocks, was the same which prevailed on horses, asses and mules.
Art. 15. There being still doubts as to whether the disease may be termed cattle plague," the census of cattle has not been made nor has the branding of animals been resorted to.
Arts. 17, 18 and 20 have been duly carried out.
Art. 21 has been carried out in certain instances, with a view to autopsies being
made upon cattle showing signs of sickness.
Art. 22.-Owing to the extent of country involved within the infected area, it was and is still a matter of impossibility to apply the provisions of Art. 22. In any case, its application would not have led to any practical result under existing circumstances,
Art. 25.-The assistance of the police was duly applied for in causing the enforce- ment of the regulations made.
June 17, 1902.
Enclosure 2 in No. 2.
DR. CHASTELLIER,
Director.
CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF BOMBAY.
(A.)
COLONIAL SECRETARY OF MAURITIUS to SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF BOMBAY.
TELEGRAM.
April 12, 1902. At request of Governor, inform you that cattle disease is prevalent in the northern districts Colony. Symptoms: Fever at the outset, centigrade 39.8 to 41.7, difficulty breathing, neck stretched forward, muzzle raised, shiverings anterior part body, animal walks staggering gait, continuous flow clear urine, finally falls down, generally on near side, spasms anterior part, sometimes over whole body, winking, no congestion of apparent mucous membranes, respiration outset rapid, end slow, comatose state, pulse feeble, fast, animal dies convulsions. Post-mortem appearances: Rumen full freshly eaten food, mucous membrane inflamed in parts, reticulum containing partly digested food, third fourth stomachs mucous membrane generally inflamed, both contain food more or less digested, large intestines generally empty, small always empty, mucous membranes always congested, brain greatly congested, also mem- branes; heart cavities full distended coagulated blood, petechioe on endocardium, lungs slightly congested; liver, spleen, kidneys, normal; gall bladder distended with bile, bladder full normal urine. Veterinary surgeons call disease gastro-enteritis, but unable cope with disease. Is such disease known India? If so, kindly wire treatment. Can specialist be sent? On what terms?
(B.)
SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF BOMBAY to COLONIAL SECRETARY OF MAURITIUS. TELEGRAM.
April 17, 1902.
Your telegram of 12th April last; duration of disease from onset to termination not stated. Symptoms stated resemble those of anthrax. No effective remedy