2
2. The Assistant Principal, Bombay Veterinary College (ex officio).
3. H. Rogers, Esq., M.R.C.V.S., of the firm of Messrs. R. Scott
and Co.
4. F. Stephens, Esq., M.R.C.V.S., of the firm of Messrs. Stephens
and Sons.
5. Ainsworth Wilson, Esq., M.R.C.V.S., of the firm of Messrs. R. Scott
and Co.
The Principal and Assistant Principal, Bombay Veterinary College, are, in
addition, appointed Veterinary Surgeons, under the Act, for the town of Bándra
in Thána, and Násik.
5. The number of glandered horses destroyed during the fifteen months
under report was 36 as against 26 for the 12 months ending 31st December
1895, which is a slight increase. This I attribute to the very careful supervision
exercised by the Department as now constituted and also to Bándra being
placed under one of the Divisional Veterinary Inspectors.
Forty horses were admitted to the Lazaretto, 25 were glandered and 15
suspicious cases. 10 of the latter developed glanders, 3 died from debility and
2 were discharged.
Out of these 40 horses, 12 belonged to the owners of carriages plying for
hire, 10 came from the Commission stables, 9 were the property of private
individuals, 7 were found wandering about the streets ownerless, and 2 came
from the Harbour Division. The breeds were as follows:—
Arabs 31.
Walers 4.
Country-breds 5.
It will be observed that this reprehensible practice of turning diseased horses
into the streets still exists,—a practice most difficult of detection in a large
city like Bombay.
6. Many of the Arab dealers' stables are kept in an insanitary condition.
The bane of these stables is the system of catch-pits, which through ignorance
and carelessness are allowed to become blocked, with the consequence that the
floors are saturated with urine and offensive. The removal of refuse is not
quick enough, and large mounds of it in many of the stables can be frequently
seen, which is not conducive to the health of the horses standing there or to
their human inhabitants.
7. During the period this report covers, 6,232 animals were imported
into Bombay, of which 2,131 were Arab horses, 665 Arab ponies, 334 Persian
horses, 175 Northerners, 151 C. B. horses, 202 C. B. ponies, 1,985 Australian
horses, 50 Australian ponies, 48 Cape horses, 6 Cape ponies, 13 Cyprian donkeys,
20 Catalonian donkeys, 17 Persian donkeys, 45 English horses, 15 English
ponies, 73 Austro-Hungarian horses, 5 Austror-Hungarian ponies, 9 Pegu
ponies and 288 mules. In addition to this, a batch of 114 horses arrived in
Madras from New South Wales and were brought on to Bombay by rail.
8. A recommendation has been made, and is now before Government, to
place the Veterinary Inspectors in uniform. This step seems essential, as there
will then be no mistake in regard to the functions of these men.
9. The office has been placed on the telephone system of Bombay, which
has materially facilitated the work of the Department.
10. Mr. Fernandez, Chief Inspector, has worked with zeal, and the other
Inspectors have performed their duties to my satisfaction.
11. The financial statement will be found in the attached appendix.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
JAMES MILLS,
Veterinary Major, A. V. D.,
Principal, Bombay Veterinary College.