REVENUE DEPARTMENT.
AGRICULTURE.
CALCUTTA, THE 11TH SEPTEMBER 1908.
RESOLUTION—No. 3963Agri.
READ—
The Annual Report of the Civil Veterinary Department, Bengal, and of the Bengal
Veterinary College for the year 1907-08.
Lieutenant-Colonel Raymond, f.r.c.v.s., held combined charge of the
Bengal Veterinary College and the Provincial Civil Veterinary Department
throughout the year. He was assisted by Mr. Harris, who joined his appoint-
ment as Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, Eastern Bengal and
Assam, on 28th May 1907, and by Mr. D. Quinlan, the present Superintendent
of the Civil Veterinary Department, Bengal.
2. The Bengal Veterinary College.—The popularity of the Bengal Veteri-
nary College has increased considerably. There were 151 students on the roll
during the year, compared with 104 in the previous year, of whom 60 came
from Eastern Bengal and Assam and 12 from Burma, Madras, the United Pro-
vinces and the Punjab. That the students have been able to appreciate the
instruction is proved by the report of the Board of Examiners, which shows
that 82, 90 and 88 per cent. of the students passed in the first, second and third
years, respectively. The Institution itself has grown rapidly, and during the
year the new hostel to accommodate 156 students, the post-mortem room, and
quarters for the Assistant Surgeon and the Overseers were completed. Lieute-
nant-Colonel Raymond has been able to do much scientific work in the new
bacteriological laboratory, and in addition to ordinary research he has made
important investigations in connection with rabies cases and the Glanders and
Farcy Act. It is unfortunate that the completion of the buildings has been
retarded this year through want of funds. Lieutenant-Colonel Raymond has now
organised the administration of the Glanders and Farcy Act in Calcutta. The
area has been divided into six districts, each in charge of a Veterinary Inspector.
No animal has been destroyed except after personal examination by Lieutenant-
Colonel Raymond, whose administration of the Act has been most tactful.
3. The Veterinary Infirmary, Belgachia.—The popularity of the Infirmary
has increased, and the number of cases treated was 4,132 as compared with 3,095
in 1906-07. It is satisfactory to note also that the number of out-door patients
has increased nearly 100 per cent.
4. Veterinary Hospitals and Dispensaries.—There are now 25 Veterinary
dispensaries in Bengal. One dispensary at Arrah was opened during the year,
and dispensaries at Chapra and Bhagalpur have been completed since the end
of the year. The latter, on which over Rs. 10,000 have been spent, was due
to the liberality of Babu Ramani Mohan Singh. The Lieutenant-Governor
would draw the attention of the Superintendent to last year's Resolution and
again ask him to record more fully bis opinion about the working of the
several institutions during the year and the causes of their comparative success
or failure. During the present year there has been a very large increase in
the cases treated at Hooghly, the 24-Parganas, Nudia, Jessore, Darjeeling,
Bhagalpur, Angul, Puri and Ranchi, and a large decrease in Darbhanga,
Monghyr, and Hazaribagh. The causes of these fluctuations should be
ascertained by the Superintendent, and in the case of the Sonthal Parganas,
an explanation of the remarkable increase should be submitted to Government.
The total number of patients rose during the year from 32,736 to 61,557.
The number of horses treated during the year was 10,430 (which is almost
the same as last year), but the number of cattle treated has increased from
18,525 to 49,458.