Proceedings of the Hon'ble the Chief Commissioner and Agent to the Governor-General, North-West
Frontier Province,—No. 3732, dated 26th August 1907.
READ—
The Report on the working of the Provincial Civil Veterinary Department for the year
ending 31st March 1907.
REMARKS.—Mr. Woodley on appointment as 3rd Superintendent for
North Punjab and the North-West Frontier Province was placed in independent
charge of the Civil Veterinary Department with effect from 12th November
1906. Prior to that date Captain Walker held charge. Mr. Woodley made
an extended tour throughout the Province and inspected all the hospitals and
dispensaries. He also attended the Shows at Peshawar, Bannu and Dera
Ismail Khan.
2. No new students were deputed to the Lahore Veterinary College
during the year ending 31st March 1907. Two of the scholarship-holders,
however, passed the final examination, and their places will be taken up by two
others during the year 1907-08.
3. There was a marked increase in the mortality from contagious diseases
in all the districts of the Province. This is to some extent due to greater vigil-
ance and more accurate reports of such outbreaks. The system of reporting
should be supervised, and the instructions issued on the subject in Circular
No. 191—3167, dated 7th August 1905, should be carefully followed. A few
cases of glanders occurred in the Transport and Cavalry Lines, Peshawar, and of
surra in the Bannu Military camels. These were treated by the Military author-
ities. No other cases of these diseases or of dourine were reported. There was a
severe outbreak of rinderpest in Kurram, and it also appeared in Peshawar,
Kohat and Dera Ismail Khan—42 per cent. of the animals attacked died. It is
a matter of satisfaction that inoculation against this disease is becoming more
popular, and the present efforts to bring home to the rural population the use-
fulness of this preventive measure should be continued. Hæmorrhagic septi¬
cæmia was even more virulent, as 84 per cent. of the reported cases proved mortal.
This is greatly in excess of last year's figures. The same remarks apply to
black-quarter. Rs. 2,000 have been provided in this year's budget for the
purchase of medicine, and it is hoped that when the prophylactic is received and
vaccination undertaken on a large scale there will be greater immunity from
this disease.
4. The increase in the work done by itinerating Veterinary Assistants
is highly satisfactory. The number of animals treated—10,386—has more than
trebled as compared with the preceding year—2,970,—while 8,258 animals were
treated at the dispensaries against 3,173 in the previous year.
5. The progress made in Veterinary institutions has been rapid and
satisfactory. In 1901-02 there was not a single such institution in the Province,
while there are now Veterinary Hospitals at all district head-quarters except
Abbottabad, where the want will soon be supplied, and no less than 9 Veterinary
Dispensaries. Each outlying tahsil has now a dispensary, except Swabi,
Hangu and Kulachi. One has already been opened in the Kurram Agency, and
arrangements are being made to open one in the present year in the Tochi.
The figures already quoted prove how much these institutions are appreciated
and utilized by the people. The buildings in some districts are still inadequate,
but improvements are being carried out as funds become available. In Bannu
a new hospital is already under construction, and in Dera Ismail Khan the
existing building has been altered and improved. During the current year
(1907-08) out of a total sum of Rs. 49,000 allotted as grants-in aid to District
Boards, Rs. 3,000 have been set apart for the Veterinary Department. This
sum is in addition to the Rs. 8,000 provided for in the Provincial budget for
contributions to the cost of Veterinary buildings in the districts and Agencies.
As some District Officers have applied for very large contributions, the Chief