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they become available are employed in the districts. The progress made in
Veterinary matters in this Province is very reassuring. The Superintendent,
Civil Veterinary Department, Bengal, reports as follows with reference to the
employment of Veterinary Assistants:—
Baranagar Municipality, District 24-Parganas.—Veterinary Assistant Nanda Lal Mitter was employed from
4th September to 5th October 1897, under the Municipality in treating cattle suffering from Rinderpest and in
preventing its spread to other cattle. The Chairman of the Municipality reports that he has worked satisfactorily,
and the public, as far as they came to know of his work, have appreciated it.
District Board, Birbhum.—Veterinary Assistant Nanda Lal Mitter was employed by the District Board on the
treatment of Rinderpest among the cattle of the district from 1st May 1897 to 23rd June 1897. The Chairman
reports that he worked satisfactorily and that he experienced considerable difficulty in inducing the people to adopt
the remedial measures he suggested. The Chairman also reports that the people have no faith in segregation, disin-
fection, or burial, but doubtless the cures the Veterinary Assistant effected, may conduce to a change of attitude
in the event of future outbreak.
Rangpur.—Veterinary Assistant Nogendra Nauth Soor was employed for a month, from 6th April to 3rd May
1897, by the Magistrate, to treat cattle attacked with Rinderpest. The Sub-divisional Officer of Nilphamarhi, in
above sub-division, in which he was chiefly employed, remarks that the work done by him was, generally speaking,
satisfactory, but owing to the conservative habits and instincts of the villagers and their preference of traditional to
scientific methods of treatment, the labours of the Veterinary Assistant, though useful, did not meet with due
appreciation.
District Board, Darbhanga.—There was occasion to send Veterinary aid twice during the year, under report,
to the district of Darbhanga; once in May and once in November. On the first occasion, I sent Nanda Lal Gupta
and on the second Satya Churun Mukerjee. The Chairman of the Board reports:—
The results obtained in both instances where satisfactory. The people generally take to the mode of treat-
ment adopted by the Assistant, except in some isolated cases where their family prejudices debar them adopt-
ing it, but the number of such cases is extremely small. Besides the actual benefit derived by the people in the
successful treatment of their sick cattle by the Veterinary Assistants, the salutary instruction freely imparted by
them for preventing disease among the cattle and combating them when broken out by simple methods, will,
it is hoped, be of much help to the owners of cattle in future.
Dacca Municipality.—Veterinary
Assistant Nanda Lall Mitter was employed for about a month, from 25th
November to 31st December 1897, by the Dacca Municipality to suppress the cattle plague. The Chairman
reports:—
The work seems to have been done satisfactorily. He was too short a time here for the public to form an opinion
of him.
Dacca district—The Calcutta Gazette of the 21st April reported cattle disease in the Munshigunj sub-division
of Dacca district and though the fact was duly communicated to the Magistrate he did not at first take any measure
in checking the disease. But when the disease assumed a virulent type in the middle of May he appointed, at my
request, a Veterinary Assistant of this Department, named Ashak Ali, on the 26th of May.
The Veterinary Assistant reports that he had visited 27 villages in the jurisdiction of Srinagar, outpost
Munshigunj, where the disease was most prevalent, and had almost eradicated the disease when he was ordered back;
since his return on the 17th July no cases of cattle disease were reported.
District Board, Gaya.—A Veterinary Assistant named Nunda Lal Gupta has been permanently employed under
the District Board of Gaya, since 5th October 1897. The Chairman of the Board reports:—
He is at present chiefly employed in visiting the horse stables in the town and neighbouring villages and
reporting on the conditions of the horses and other cattle in those places. He is also accasionally sent out on
receipt of: Police and other reports to treat animals in outlying villages where cattle disease of any kind breaks out,
and instruct the people as to the preventive measures to be taken against the disease and the proper treatment to be
adopted when cattle are attacked. He has also been required to draw up simple instructions for publication in the
vernacular in the villages. He seems to be a useful man.
Midnapore District Board.—The Secretary to the District Board reports that the Veterinary Assistant
Narain Chandra Roy joined the district on the 5th April 1897, and continued to serve under the Board till 10th
December. From the 5th April to the end of September 1897 he worked as Veterinary Assistant and Pound
Inspector. The work done by him as Veterinary Assistant was fair. As Pound Inspector he served for 2 months
and 10 days only, a period not long enough to enable a definite opinion to be formed of the quality of work done by
him in that capacity. The people of the district have not had sufficient opportunity to form any opinion as to the
Veterinary Assistant. During the period of his employment nothing was heard in his favor or against him.
Cuttack.—Veterinary Assistant Babu Benode Behari Dutt was appointed by the Magistrate on the 24th
February, and is working there still. The Magistrate reports that he is employed in the treatment of cattle disease
in the interior of the district, and that his work appears to be satisfactory. The Magistrate had not much opportunity
of learning what the public think of him, but he believes the more intelligent men appreciate his work.
Manbhum.—In the month of May the Deputy Commissioner telegraphed to send a Veterinary Assistant to
Manbhum to combat Rinderpest, then prevailing there, and one of the Veterinary Assistants of this Department,
named Ashak Ali, was sent. He visited the affected places, namely, Raghunathpur and Shewbepur, and his report
shows that Rinderpest had been prevailing for the last four months of his arrival, and about 500 cattle carried off.
At the end of May, when the disease ceased to exist, he was ordered back to Calcutta.
Saran.—At the request of the Magistrate of Saran. Munshi Ashak Ali, a Veterinary Assistant of this Depart-
ment, was sent on the 8th December 1897. He visited Saran, Kutiya, and Manji, stations of the district where
cattle disease was reported to have been prevailing. From the report of the Veterinary Assistant it appears that
no trace could be found of the disease when he visited the affected localities, as it had probably died out.
24-Parganas.—The Calcutta Gazette of the 7th July reported Rinderpest from Diamond Harbour, and Veterinary
Assistant Surendra Krishna Mitter of this Department was sent to check the disease. His services were not required
long, because the cases were sporadic, and ended fatally.
Angul.—On the 23rd of March 1897, the Deputy Commissioner of Angul reported considerable mortality of
cattle in the Angul sub-division of the district, and Veterinary Assistant Munshi Ashak Ali was deputed on the 1st
April 1897 to investigate the disease. He visited three villages. Mahdarpore. Manpur. and Sankhpur, where the
disease was raging violently, both Rinderpest and malignant sore-throat having made their appearance.
Bhagalpur.—In consequence of an outbreak of cattle disease, one Veterinary Assistant, named Brojendra Lal
Sur, was employed from 29th April 1897 to 2nd July 1897, He visited villages where cattle disease was prevailing
and gave necessary medical advice to the owners of the cattle. His work was considered to be satisfactory and he
carned the good opinion of the public.
Andaman Settlements—Port Blair.—The Deputy Superintendent, Andaman Settlements, reports that the duties
of the Veterinary Assistant, Surendra Nath Bose, employed at Port Blair, are the inspection of Government
bullocks and treatment of Government and private cattle and ponies, &c., when sick. His work is satisfactory.
Darjeeling.—There is no Veterinary Dispensary at Darjeeling as I erroneously reported last year, but a Veterinary
Assistant from Lahore is permanently employed, and I have seen him waiting about outside the Municipal office.
He told me he had no dispensary. The information about his work is scanty, but I believe he went to an outbreak
of disease at Siliguri and Kurseong.