6
He examined and treated all cases (62) seized under the Cruelty to Animals Act
and brought to the Infirmary and gave evidence in court as witness when required.
Prom the beginning of the year up to the 11th June 1916, Babu Bhudhar Chan-
dra Chatterjee was in charge of the office of the Inspector, Gauhati Circle, in addition
to his own duties when the permanent incumbent was deputed to the Dibrugarh
Circle.
(5) The number of Reserve Veterinary Assistants fluctuated very much during
the year, the number available for the major portion of the year was only three. One
was on deputation for work on the Mishmi road from the beginning of the year till
the 13th June 1916, and another from the 9th September 1916 till the end of the year.
The main work of the available Reserve Assistants was done in the districts of
Cachar, Sylhet, Goalpara and Lushai Hills. One Reserve Assistant was permanently
posted to Silchar Circle from the 2nd May 1916.
39. The names of the following subordinates are mentioned for the interest and
care they have taken in their professional work throughout the year :—
Stiff Veterinary Assistant Babu Bhudhar Chandra Chatterjee, Veterinary
Assistants Babu Hem Chandra Sen, Shillong, Babu Girindra Nath Syam
Choudhury, Karimganj, Maulvi Syed Ataul Haque, Mariani, Srijut Madhab
Chandra Das, Barpeta, Babu Debendra Nath Chatterjee, Patharkandi, Babu
Surendra Mohan Sen Gupta, Badlipar, Babu Narendra Nath Dutta, Nalbari.
PART V.—EXPENDITURE OF THE DEPARTMENT.
40 Table XIV (a) shows the total expenditure of the Department, as furnished by
the Comptroller, Assam, to be Rs. 89,533-9-8. The contribution of Rs. 10,000 towards
the up-keep of the Bengal Veterinary College has not been shown in the statement
under the head " Veterinary instruction." The expenditure of the Department in
the previous year was Rs. 84,118-9-5.
PART VI.—GENERAL REMARKS.
41. An important event during the year was the visit of Doctor Macalister, Impe-
rial Pathologist, Muktessar, for the purpose of investigating a disease in horses known
as kumri. This disease attacks and renders useless a considerable number of valuable
horses every year. The disease is found in every district. Doctor Macalister and I
toured in Tezpur, Golaghat, Dibrugarh and Kamrup districts, and owing to the kindly
assistance received we were able to see animals affected with the disease in its various
stages. Eight horses were handed over unconditionally for investigation and post-
mortem examination from which valuable specimens were obtained for further
research work at the Laboratory. A report on this work has not yet been published
and this may be delayed considerably, as Doctor Macalister's services have been loaned
to the Military Department. Since he left, I have had the opportunity of sending fur-
ther specimens to the Imperial Laboratory from time to time. The disease seems to
be incurable, but if the mystery of its causation could be penetrated, suitable
preventive methods might be adopted. This subject is of primary importance, because
it is one of the reasons why fewer horses are being kept throughout the province.
42. A sufficient supply of serum has been received from the Muktessar Laborato-
ry during the year. The number of doses received this year and previous years is as
follows :—
Rinderpest serum ...
Anthrax serum ...
Hæmorrhagic
Septicæmia
serum.
1916-17.
1,17,000
6,000
5,500
1915-16.
1,10,000
19,000
6,000
1914-15.
35,000
8,000
3,600
There is still a good deal of active opposition to inoculation in many places
throughout the province. On the other hand, more people are voluntarily asking for
inoculation when disease breaks out, as previous inoculations have convinced them of
its value and that the bad effects which they had feared did not supervene. The
work of the Department is greatly increased in cases where only a portion of the
village cattle are brought for inoculation. The disease may continue amongst the
uninoculated for a longer period than the temporary immunity given, so further visits
are necessary and sometimes reinoculation of the inoculated animals. This is most
important where inoculation is on trial for the first time.
43. I attended the camp of the Assam Valley Light Horse at Jorhat where over
80 horses were treated at the Veterinary Field Hospital for minor ailments. A