2
the prevention of diseases, etc. It is hoped that funds will be pro-
vided for these purposes in next year's budget.
A valuable scheme for thana dispensaries to be administered by
groups of Union Boards was drawn up in consultation with, and with
the concurrence of, those bodies by the Collector of Faridpur,
Mr. L. 13. Burrows, and was submitted to Government by the Veterin-
ary Adviser. The scheme was approved by Government but the word-
iug of the Village Self-Government Act as it now stands prevents the
fulfilment of the scheme in practice. The amendment of the Act is
under consideration.
3. The total number of deaths of animals due to epidemic disease
was 35,719 as compared with 33,224 in the previous year. The Director
attributes this not so much to any actual increase in the prevalence
of disease as to a better system of intelligence. Rinderpest with
33,405 deaths accounted for over 93 per cent. of the casualties, while
1,492 beasts died of hæmorrhagie septicæmia, 404 of these being in
the district of Miclnapore. Khulna and Bakarganj had over 4,400
deaths each from rinderpest, Chittagong running them close with
3,239. It is noticeable that the Sodepur Pinjrapole had 193 deaths
from contagious diseases, a total which exceeded that of either Cooch
Behar, Darjeeling, Bogra, Hooghly or Howrah. This, however, is an
immense improvement on the two previous years when 1,742 and 805
inmates of this institution succumbed.
The Hon'ble Minister is glad to observe that there has been an
appreciable increase in the number of cattle inoculated, viz., 206,616 as
against 173,762 in the previous year, but there are 25½ million cattle
in Bengal and an inoculation rate of less than 1 per cent. can only
mean that there is a long way to go before it can be said that the
Department has obtained control of epidemic disease. Government
will watch with interest when these schemes come into operation the
effect of the free supply of serum and of the increased staff, referred
to in paragraph 2 above.
The usual work of the Veterinary Assistant Surgeons was carried
on, and 126,661 cases were treated as against 100,830 in the previous
year. The staff of reserve Veterinary Assistant Surgeons was increased
by 4.
Two new dispensaries, one at Kharagpur and one at Tangail, were
opened during the year and there were 4 more Veterinary Assistant
Surgeons employed by local bodies than in the previous year. There
was again an increase in the number of cases treated at dispensaries,
viz., 56,184 as against 51,025 or nearly 10 per cent., which is much
the same rate as the previous year showed in respect of its predecessor,
and a proof that the services of the Department are appreciated. It
is satisfactory to observe that the District Board of Faridpur have
provided funds for the construction of serum cellar.
The Department took its share in that successful enterprise of the
Eastern Bengal Railway, the Demonstration Train, and the Veterinary
Adviser reports favourably on its results.
4. His Excellency acting with the Minister-in-charge notices with
pleasure the names of officers of the Department who did good work
during the year and desires to acknowledge also the efficient way in
which Mr. Kerr discharged his duties.