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and equipped last year has not been opened as sanction is awaited to constitute
a subordinate Veterinary Department in Sind. It did not seem to me worth
while to entertain a man for this post on one rate of pay one day, and perhaps
on the following offer him a lower rate, which would happen under the scheme
I proposed for Sind (Mr. Hewlett's).
The building of a hospital at Sukkur contemplated two years ago has been
delayed as the Military Authorities finally declined to part with the land selected
for the purpose.
Karáchi Veterinary Hospital
Veterinary Graduate S. G. Haji held charge
of this institution throughout the year and was assisted by his son from the
5 th November.
The total number of patients treated by them at the hospital during the
year is shown at 3,524 (in and out-patients) and 964 on tour, 4,488 in all against
5,951 last year.
Of the total treated at the hospital it will be seen in Table V that 1,135
were equines, 1,475 bovines and 914 other animals. The decrease in the numbers
compared with last year is chiefly accounted for by excluding inoculation cases
from this year's calculation, such figures being noted above under para. 6.
Mr. Haji senior visited 36 villages.
Thirty-eight cases of castrations were performed as against 22 performed
last year.
The financial condition of the dispensary is shown in Table VI attached.
It shows Rs. 11,751-4-5 under the head receipts and Rs. 11,472-12-3 under that
of expenditure, leaving a balance of Rs. 278-8-2 at the credit of the dispensary
at the close of the year.
One thousand five hundred and eighty-two horses were shod at the shoeing
forge attached to this dispensary against 1,518 shod last year. The receipts
at the shoeing forge amounted to Rs. 2,411 and expenditure to Rs. 1,377-14-0
which left a surplus balance of Rs. 1,033-2-0 against Rs. 809-15-0 last year.
Although this is quite a good profit it is made notwithstanding that the shoeing
is still indifferently done. It is next to impossible to get a horse well shod in
Karachi, (it is difficult almost anywhere in India) but so long as a shoe will
remain on for a month or six weeks the average owner appears to be satisfied
and does not look for a well forged shoo or a foot properly prepared, and the
primitive method of one man holding up the foot while another, the farrier (?)
pares it with a knife (which he is strictly told not to do) and then tacks the
shoe on is to be still seen at this forge. So much then for the trouble taken at
the Veterinary Colleges to try and impart the knowledge of the art of farriary
to students in Veterinary Science, and through them to a " nalband " and also
so much for instructing nalbands themselves at the Colleges.
The cattle population within a radius of 5 miles of this hospital is reported
to be 8,4S5 and the cattle treated at the hospital number 1,475 which gives a
percentage of 17.38 against last year's 35.71. The reason for this falling off is
accounted for by the fact that inoculation cases have this year been excluded
from column 26 of Table V while they were included last year.
Fees are charged at Karachi for all stock belonging to those who are consi-
dered in a position to pay for advice and treatment. The sum of Rs. 1,358-14-0
were realized against Rs. 1,538-6-0 last year. The explanation offered for this
falling off in the earnings, (which is quite contrary to expectations in that there
was no competition in the shape of the presence of any other veterinary practi-
tioner in Karachi during the year, whilst during a good portion of the year an
assistant has been entertained) is that fewer animals were treated at the hospital
during the year under report than in the previous year.
Hyderabad
Veterinary Hospital and Dispensary.—Veterinary
Graduate
Asudamal held charge of the hospital at Hyderabad throughout the year
under report. He treated 2,547 cases (164 in and 2,383 out-door patients) at the
hospital during the year as against 2,321 treated last year, an increase of 226.
Of the total of 2,547 treated at the dispensary, vide Table V, 735 were equines,
788 bovines and 1,024 other animals. The Veterinary Graduate attended the
cattle shows and fairs held at Talhar and Badin and a camel fair at Oderolal
b 309—14