35
24. Vaccination against hæmorrhagic septicaemia was carried out in one
village where this disease was known to recur and 113 animals were treated in
this way and no deaths occurred among them.
25. In an outbreak of anthrax in the Thar Parkar district 22
animals were inoculated. Inoculations against anthrax were carried out only
when diagnosis of the disease was confirmed microscopically. Four uninocu-
lated sheep died during the course of the outbreak and none of the inoculated
animals died.
Other diseases.
Table IV.
26. During the year Veterinary Assistants visited 1,571 villages and
treated 2,908 animals for contagious and 1,756 for
non-contagious diseases. Fifteen animals were
castrated by Veterinary Assistants on tour. In the previous year Veterinary
Assistants visited 1,405 villages, treated 1,918 animals for contagious and 1,416
animals for non-contagious diseases and castrated 18 animals. The
prevalence of influenza interfered greatly with the touring of Veterinary
Assistants.
Investigation.
27. During the year the subordinate staff from Sind and Baluchistan
submitted a large number of specimens to the Superintendent for examination
from suspected cases of surra, anthrax, piroplasmosis, dourine, scab and mange.
Veterinary dispensaries.
Table V.
28. There were fourteen veterinary dispensaries working in the province
at the beginning of the year 1918-19. A new dispen-
sary was opened at Sukkur in October 1918. There
were thus fifteen veterinary dispensaries working in the province at the close
of the year.
The total number of patients treated at dispensaries was 17,241 against
19,213 in the previous year. Medicine and advice were given to the owners
of 4,823 cases which were not brought to the dispensaries making a total of
22,064 animals treated and supplied with medicine as compared with a total
of 22,839 animals treated and supplied with medicine in the previous year.
This decrease was due to the prevalence of influenza throughout the province.
29. Owing to the impossibility of obtaining the services of Veterinary
Assistants the opening of five dispensaries, which had been approved by District
Local Boards, had to be postponed.
30. The construction of dispensaries on the standard plan at Kandkot
and Nawabshah has been taken in hand. The funds for this work have been
partly provided from the Wadia Trust.
A serum pit at the dispensary at Sujawal was completed during the year.
III.—BREEDING OPERATIONS.
(1) Equines.
Tables X, XI, XII.
31. The Arab stallion "Bahadur" maintained by the District Local
Board, Larkana, is under the control of the Civil Vete-
rinary Department. He covered 43 mares as against
53 in the previous year. The decrease in the number of mares covered was
due to the prevalence of influenza and to another stallion, under the control of:
the Army Remount Department, standing at Larkana for about six months.
The cost of feed and upkeep of the stallion was Rs. 623-2-8 against
Rs. 446-2-3 in the previous year. The increase in expenditure was due to
enhanced prices for grain and fodder.
(2) Bovines.
Table VIII.
32. One of the three Nari bulls purchased last year by the District Local
Board, Upper Sind Frontier, was castrated and sold
as he had become vicious. The remaining two bulls
are reported to be doing well.