“Perhaps with the trench system of conservancy, which will necessitate the growing up crops, a sufficient quantity of root and other green produce may be obtained from cantonment lands set apart for this purpose, to supply green fodder for the cattle.”
The important question as to whether the presence of cysts detected at the root of the tongue could be made available for the purposes of diagnosis was made the subject of special report through the agency of executive Commissariat officers, and they testified to its practical valuelessness in the following terms:
“Jullundur.—No appearance of cyst has been found at the root of the tongues of any of the cattle. A medical officer was asked for assistance in making search for the cysts, but he also found none.
“Rawul Pindee.—It is utterly impossible to discriminate before slaughter, from any outward symptoms, cattle that are cyst infected.
“Every endeavour has been made to discover by close and careful scrutiny before slaughter the cyst-infected cattle, but the result has been in no way satisfactory.
“Sealkote.—All endeavours to discover any symptoms of the infection by examination of their tongues, while the animals were living, have been unsuccessful.
“Mooltan.—The mouth and tongue of a large number of living cattle have been examined before slaughter, but in no single instance has the infection been so detected.
“Dr Ross’s plan of examining the tongues of all animals at time of purchase is not feasible, as they are usually very wild and frightened, and often dangerous to approach.
“Peshawur.—In probably 99 cases out of 100 it is utterly impossible to discover cyst infection in cattle previous to slaughter by examination of their tongues. In only one instance has it been so discovered, and that was from the animal’s having a number of small lumps over the body which were also apparent on the back part of the tongue. When the tongue is infected the ‘cyst’ lies so far at the very root of it that it cannot be seen in the live animal.”