( 3 )
inoculation was undertaken and 73 died amongst the inoculated. The largest
number of inoculation were made in Tangail, Jalpaiguri and Gaibandha. The
recent orders to charge annas 2 for each dose of serum will, it may reason-
ably be feared, seriously affect the numbers of inoculations in future.
17. Anthrax.—During the year nine outbreaks of suspected anthrax were
reported from the Eastern Bengal districts. In five of these the disease was
definitely diagnosed by microscopical examination. Inoculation was carried on
in these five outbreaks in which two equines, two bovines and ten others were
reported to have died before inoculation. In these outbreaks 53 equines and
34 bovines were inoculated. In the previous year inoculation was under-
taken in ten outbreaks in which 37 horses, 844 bovines and two others were
inoculated, with only one death after inoculation.
18. Black quarter.—Only 80 animals wore inoculated in the district of
Birbhum.
19). Hæmorrhagic septicæmia.—Inoculation was undertaken in 36 out-
breaks in seven districts. The diagnosis was microscopically confirmed, 2,831
bovines and seven others were inoculated and no deaths were reported subse-
quently.
TABLE IV.
20. Table IV shows the mofassal work of the Veterinary Assistants.
During this period two posts for Itinerant Veterinary Assistants were created,
one for Tarkeswar, district Hooghly. and the other for Basirhat, in 24-Parganas.
Government sanction for them was, however, not received until March, and
no work was therefore done by the Assistants appointed to them.
Altogether 8,055 villages were visited against 7,103 of the previous year, while
52,403 cases were treated against 54,729. There would, however, have been
a much larger amount of work done, were it not for the posts at Contai and
Nadia being vacant for a considerable time through the enforced absence
from duty of the Assistants and the Superintendent's inability to fill them
and to the unsatisfactory work of the Veterinary Assistant at Howrah.
21. Additional Assistants are urgently needed in Nadia. .Jessore, Mur-
shidabad, Khulna and Burdwan, as it is found impossible for one Assistant to
treat satisfactorily outbreaks which are situated at widely separated parts of
the same district.
HOSPITALS AND DISPENSARIES.
22. Tables V and VI show the working of the hospitals and dispensaries.
There were 17 dispensaries at the close of the previous year. A new dispen-
sary was opened at Chinsura by the District Board of Hooghly during the
year, and it was placed in charge of the Itinerant Veterinary Assistant of that
place. It is contemplated opening a dispensary at Midnapore by using part
of the old jail building for the purpose.
23. The dispensary at Sodepur is managed privately by the Pinjrapole
Society. The dispensary at Howrah is supervised by the Principal, Bengal
Veterinary College. while that at Cooch Behar is managed by the Raj.
24. Howrah.— This dispensary was in charge of Veterinary Assistant
K. C. .Moitra throughout the year, who did good work. One thousand five
hundred and forty-three animals were treated against 1,448 of the previous
year.
25. Suri.—Five in and 816 out-patients were treated in this hospital
against 9 and 553. respectively. of the previous year. Closing of the in-door
department of this hospital was recommended during the year, but the
members of the District Board were of opinion that it should be kept on for
one year more. A sub-committee has since been formed to look into the
management of the dispensary and to ameliorate its condition.
26. Burdwan.—Twenty-seven in and 984 out-patients were treated at
the dispensary against 74 and 1,308, respectively, of the previous year. The
decrease is apparently due to the changes in the appointment of Assistants
which had to be resorted to at the request of the District Board.