No. 6149, dated Calcutta, the 23rd July 1913.
From—J. R. BLACKWOOD, ESQ., I.C.S., Director of Agriculture, Bengal,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Bengal, Revenue Department.
I HAVE the honour to submit, for the information of Government, a copy
of the Annual Report of the Civil Veterinary Department, Bengal, for 1912-13,
together with a copy of my review of this report as well as of the Annual
Report of the Bengal Veterinary College for 1912-13 which has been submitted
direct to Government.
REVIEW.
MAJOR SMITH joined the post of Principal of the Bengal Veterinary College on the 4th
June 1912 on the retirement of Colonel Raymond, C.I.E., from the service of Government, and
held it for the rest of the year. Mr. Harris and Mr. Quinlan were in charge of the Civil
Veterinary Department in East Bengal and West Bengal, respectively, till about the close of
April, when Major Smith, who was appointed temporarily to hold the post of Superintendent,
Civil Veterinary Department, Bengal, in addition to his own duties, took over charge from
them. He acted as Superintendent till the 27th October. On the 28th October Mr. Kerr,
who was appointed Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, Bengal, joined the depart-
ment and held charge of it for the remaining part of the year.
2. Bengal Veterinary College.—The actual number of students on the College roll at
the end of the session was 99, as compared with 132 in 1909-10, 138 in 1910-11 and 110 in
1911-12. The gradual decrease in the number of students, to which attention was drawn in
last year's Government Resolution is ascribed mainly to the meagreness of pay and prospects
and the limited number of appointments made annually. A scheme for the improvement
of the pay and allowance of the subordinate staff has been drawn up and is now being
considered.
3. College hospital.— During the year 2,428 patients were treated against 2,184 in
1911-12. These figures represent only the actual number of animals treated, whereas in
previous year's reports the number of oases were shown, each disease being taken as a separate
case. The number of operations performed was 1,892 against 1,881 in 1911-12. The
number of animals sent for treatment at the College hospital in connection with the
cruelty cases was small as in the preceding years.
4. During the year all the stables in the area under the Calcutta Glanders Act were
frequently inspected, and glanders were detected in four stables, as compared with 15 in
1911-12. The number of horses admitted into the Contagious Diseases Hospital was 29, of
which 5 were destroyed for glanders and 1 died of the same disease. Rinderpest and
foot-and-mouth disease were prevalent in Calcutta and the suburbs, and 1,698 animals were
inoculated against rinderpest.
5. Raymand Research Laboratory.—This institution continued to do valuable work in
the examination of pathological and other specimens and in the diagnosis of contagious
and obscure diseases. A naturally contracted case of equine Surra was cured by following
the treatment suggested by the Imperial Bacteriologist. This is said to be the first case of
cure reported in bengal. During the year some up-to-date electrical apparatus for special
experiments have been added to the Laboratory. One veterinary assistant from Bihar
and one veterinary inspector and three veterinary assistants from Bengai were trained in
the preparation of specimens, etc.
6. Civil Veterinary Department.—Treatment of diseases.—The number of deaths from
contagious diseases amongst bovines declined from 8,522 in the previous year to 7.637.
Though no great accuracy can be claimed for these figures, the decrease by over 4,000, 1,000
and 300 as compared with the figures for 1909-10, 1910-11 and 1911-12 respectively in the
reported deaths from rinderpest, which is responsible for more than half the number of deaths
every year, indicates that this disease has diminished in virulence. During the year 19,113
cattle were inoculated for rinderpest against 18,241 in 1911-12, showing an increase of
872. It is gratifying to observe that the percentage of deaths subsequent to inoculation
was remarkably low. There was a marked enlargement of the sphere of operations of
the itinerant, veterinary assistants, the total number of villages visited being 10,409
against 8,055 in 1911-12. With a view to securing prompt reports on cattle disease, the
importance of which was observed in the Government Resolution last year, it has been
proposed to introduce the system obtained in East Bengal that the peripatetic officers
of Excise and Education Departments, managers of wards' estates, panchayats, etc., should
be employed for the purpose, in addition to thana officers.
As regards a complaint made last year by the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Depart-
ment, against the municipalities of Jessore, Murshidabad and Burdwan regarding the
administration of the Glanders and Farcy Act, it is understood that the suggestions made
by Mr. Kerr about the improvement of the sanitary condition of the hack stables have
since been accepted by the former two municipalities. About Burdwan a separate report
will be submitted to Government. It has been proposed to extend the provisions of the
Glanders Act to those parts of the Presidency where it is not in force yet.