( 3 )
19. During the year considerable improvement was noticed in the
reporting of outbreaks and especially in their accuracy, but much still
remains to be done in this direction ; only two reports were received from
members of the Agricultural Associations, one from Rafi Uddin Mahomed of
Cuttuck and the other from the Secretary, Agricultural Association, Bankipore.
Post cards are now sent from the Police Stations to the Veterinary Assistants
direct and not as formerly to this office, considerable delay being thus saved.
Veterinary Assistants have also been directed to communicate to neighbouring
districts, the existence of disease and in this way to prevent its spread.
20. It is hoped during the next year that the members of the various
District Agricultural Associations will co-operate more readily than has been the
case in the past by reporting the existence of contagious disease. They can
be of immense benefit to the community by giving timely information of
outbreaks to this Department or to the District Magistrate, and by helping
to allay the prejudices of the raiyats against inoculation, when Veterinary
Officers undertake that work in their neighbourhood. The Darjeeling
Planters' Association and Bihar Planters' Association have been approached
with the same object.
21. New rules have been issued to the Itinerating Veterinary Assistants
under which they must visit thanas, important villages and members of the
Agricultural Associations.
22. Pamphlets on cattle diseases and rules to prevent the spread of con-
tagious diseases have been printed for circulation among cultivators. Copies of
Hallen's Manual in English and vernacular have also been distributed.
PREVENTIVE INOCULATION.
23. During the year under report 72 outbreaks of rinderpest in which
preventive inoculation was undertaken were reported; 11,659 animals were
inoculated against 5,978 in 58 outbreaks of the previous year; the mortality
among protected cattle was 115 only, of which 29 deaths occurred among the
animals in the Government Estate, Kalimpong, and 20 among the dairy cattle,
Suri. In these outbreaks the high death-rate was evidently due to the
greater susceptibility of hill cattle and plains cattle when they are kept under
better conditions than village animals; thus, they are not sufficiently exposed
to infection after the serum inoculation, and consequently obtain only the
short protection afforded by the serum alone.
24. Regarding inoculation in the districts, it has not infrequently happened
that this work was greatly curtailed, owing to the objections of the ryots in parts
of Burdwan, Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Palamau, Hooghly, and Sambalpur
districts. The local authorities were informed in these instances.
HOSPITALS AND DISPENSARIES.
25. Tables V and VI show the working of hospitals and dispensaries.
During the year under report two new dispensaries have been opened—one at
Chapra and the other at Bhagalpur—while the dispensary at Khulna was closed
for want of support.
All the hospitals were inspected either by me or by the Inspectors on more
than one occasion.
As requested by Government in the resolution on last year's Annual
Report the work of the various hospitals and dispensaries is briefly noted as
well as the cause of their success or failure.
26. Purulia.—There was a slight decrease in the number of out-patients
treated, the number of in-patients, however, shows an increase, but is still small.
It is satisfactory to note that the Veterinary Assistant performed 94 operations,
including 15 major and of the total number 92 were successful.
A verandah was added to the dispensary and office rooms.
27. Chapra.—This dispensary has been opened during the year and 11 in-
and 455 out-patients were treated. The work of this Assistant has received
constant attention. Wealthy native cattle and horse owners display but small
interest in the institution so far.
28. Dumraon.—There was a fall in the number of in and out-patients
treated as compared with last year ; this is reported to be due to the opening of
a separate dispensary at Arrah, and to the disposal of the Dumraon Raj horses,