No. IV-20—148.
FROM
J. McSWINEY, ESQ., M.A„ I.C.S.,
DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF LAND RECORDS
AND AGRICULTURE, ASSAM,
To
THE CHIEF SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM.
Dated Shillong, the 29th June 1922.
SIR,
I HAVE the honour to forward the annual report of the Civil Veterinary
Department for the year ending 31st March 1922, together with a brief report on the
veterinary work in the Manipur State.
2. Mr. Harris was in charge of the Department for the whole year and toured for
143 days. He inspected the work of Veterinary Inspectors, Gaubati and Dibrugarh,
and 19 hospitals and dispensaries. He attended the Bengal Veterinary College as a
member of the Board of Examiners as usual. Babu Guru Prasanna Sen, Inspector,
was appointed Deputy Superintendent on probation in May 1921. He was on tour
for 81 days and inspected 11 dispensaries and Veterinary Assistants and the work of
the Veterinary Inspector, Silchar.
In the laboratory 420 specimens of various
kinds were examined against 212 in the previous year. I inspected the dispensaries
at Dhubri, Goalpara, Jorhat, Sylhet, Karimganj, Dibrugarh, Silchar and Hailakandi.
TheHon'ble Minister, Local Self-Government, inspected the hospitals and dispensaries
at Gauhati, Goalpara, Barpeta, Karimganj, Srimangal, Maulvibazar, Jorhat and
Golaghat. His Excellency the Governor visited the hospital at Gauhati.
3. Five stipends were held at the Bengal Veterinary College during the year, of
which three were in the 3rd year class and two in the 1st year class. The holder of
one of the former failed in the final examination : the other two passed and have since
been appointed Assistants in addition to one Local Board stipendiary who obtained
the diploma during the year. The two stipendiaries in the 1st year were promoted.
To ensure that successful stipendiaries serve at least for 5 years, Government has
sanctioned from this year the execution of agreements to this effect by the stipendiaries
and their guardians. Five Assistants were deputed to the College for a two months'
refresher course.
4. The total number of deaths reported from contagious diseases was 30,594 against
47,085 in the previous year, showing an appreciable decrease. The heaviest mortality
occurred in Goalpara, where the number reported was 6,637 from all diseases.
5. The outbreaks reported during the year were 317 against 561 in the previous
year. Out of the total number of 24,012 animals inoculated (against 48,891 in last
year) there were 309 deaths, while 5,529 died before inoculation. The decrease in the
number of cattle inoculated was due to the fact that contagious disease was less
prevalent during the year and, where it appeared, was in a milder form.
6. Ninety-two deaths from cattle poisoning were reported, of which eleven were
confirmed by the Chemical Examiner to the Government of Bengal as arsenic poison-
ing. The Cruelty to Animals Act was extended to the Dimapur-Mao road in the
Naga Hills district and to the first seven miles of the Shillong-Cherrapoonji road in the
Khasi and Jaintia Hills during the year. Forty cruelty cases were sent to the hospi-
tals at Gauhati, Silchar and Shillong.
7. There was a considerable improvement in the work of the Assistants in spite
of their short number and absence for training. The number of cases treated on tour
and castrations performed was 61,759 against 61,710 in the previous year. The num-