ANNUAL ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF THE CIVIL VETERINARY
DEPARTMENT IN THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY FOR THE
YEAR 1904-05.
Major F. Joslen was in charge of the office of the Superintendent, Civil
Veterinary Department, Bombay Presidency, during the whole year.
2. The Superintendent was away from the head-quarters for 195 days
during the year and travelled 14,976 miles by rail, 398 miles by road, and 298
miles by boat as against 12,187 by rail, 669 by road and 258 by boat last year.
3. Extensive tours were made in Gujarát, the Deccan and the Southern
Marátha Country in connection with cattle-breeding. The following studs
were visited in Káthiáwár, viz., Bhávnagar, Pálitána, Junágad, Rájkot and
Vánkáner. All Veterinary Dispensaries were inspected. The Horse Shows at
Ahmednagar and Ahmedabad and the Cattle Fairs at Mhaswad, Chinchli and
Sholápur were attended.
Chharodi Cattle Farm was visited 3 times. The
Superintendent attended as President of the Board of Examiners at the Bombay
and the Panjáb Veterinary Colleges; also at the Army Veterinary School at
Poona.
I.—VETERINARY INSTRUCTION—VETERINARY COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS.
4. There is only one Veterinary College in this Presidency, viz., at Bombay,
the main results of which are given in Table I. In this College 41 students
were admitted during the year, 35 as paying students and 6 as scholarship
holders. As to their educational qualifications 8 were matriculated and 33 knew
some English but not matriculated. During the year 15 students passed the
final examination of the Diploma Course and 4 failed. There were at the end of
the year 74 students in ordinary course and the instruction of 12 was prolonged
by reason of their failure to pass. As it has been decided to abolish the Salutri
Course no new students were admitted to it during the year. During the pre-
ceding three years 29 students passed out of the Diploma Course, of which 19
are in Government or other service and 10 are unemployed. Sixty-five students
of the Salutri Course passed out; 41 of them have secured employment and 24
are unemployed. The total receipts of the College from fees and other sources
amount to Rs. 6,484 and the total expenditure including salaries and other
expenses amount to Rs. 55,315-4-6.
II.—TREATMENT OF DISEASE—CONTAGIOUS DISEAES, OUTBREAKS, MORTALITY,
PREVENTIVE INOCULATION, ETC.
5. Reports of outbreaks of contagious diseases have been received from
12 districts and the City of Bombay. Other districts did not send in any
reports, but it cannot be concluded from this that they were quite free from
disease. It will be seen from Table II that the total number of deaths reported
was 54 equines and 1,336 bovines. Amongst equine diseases there were 50 cases
of Glanders and 2 of Lymphangitis epizootica which either died or were destroyed
under the "Glanders and Farcy Act." Amongst bovine diseases Rinderpest
and Hæmorrhagic septicæmia were not reported from any district. Foot and
mouth disease broke out in 6 districts including Bombay City, the highest
number of deaths, i. e., 44, being reported from Ratnágiri. Black quarter
occurred in 8 districts ; the total number of deaths was 830, the maximum (337)
being in Bijápur and the minimum (8) being in Násik. Anthrax was reported
from 8 districts; the total mortality was 164, the highest number (40) being in
Kaira and the lowest (5) in the Panch Maháls. The total number of cases treated
for contagious diseases by Veterinary Assistants on tour was 3,297 during the
year. There was no Rinderpest during the year, and in consequence no inocu-
lations were carried out.
6. It will appear a remarkable and almost incredible statement in view of
the extent to which Rinderpest exists in the Panjáb and Bengal, etc., that this
disease has not been met with in the Bombay Presidency. Every enquiry has,
however, been made with the view of finding out whether it existed or not, but